North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust Out of Area Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Placement Reference Number LD/RB43

This Contract Award notice is placed under the Healthcare Services Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Regulations 2023 Regulation 8 for Direct Award Process B, where the Trust is awarding this contract having conducted spot purchasing analysis and concluded that this is the only available option. The Trust has a choice of providers and is not seeking to restrict the number of providers.

The Service is for specialised Psychiatric care for a named patient. Psychiatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) are specialist wards that provide inpatient mental health care, assessment and comprehensive treatment to individuals who are experiencing the most acutely disturbed phase of a serious mental disorder.

The Contract has been awarded following the Direct Award process B, at £1,022.00 per day for a nominal period of 4 weeks, as the exact duration is unknown. The patient would be reviewed daily, Monday-Friday and would be re-patriated where clinically appropriate.

The estimated total cost is £28,616.00 from 05th May 2026 to an unknown date. The Trust had a spot purchasing arrangement with this provider in the past, and this is a continuation of that service for a new placement, now coming directly through the Trust, whereas previously it sat under the Integrated Care Board (ICB).

The contract is new as the Trust is placing the contract directly, but the arrangements have been previously in place under spot purchasing via the ICB. This Contract Award notice is placed under the Healthcare Services Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Regulations 2023 Regulation 8 for Direct Award Process B, where the Trust is awarding this contract having conducted spot purchasing analysis and concluded that this is the only available option.

The Trust has a choice of providers and is not seeking to restrict the number of providers. The Service is for specialised Psychiatric care for a named patient.

Psychiatric Intensive Care Units (PICU) are specialist wards that provide inpatient mental health care, assessment and comprehensive treatment to individuals who are experiencing the most acutely disturbed phase of a serious mental disorder. The Contract has been awarded following the Direct Award process B, at £1,022.00 per day for a nominal period of 4 weeks, as the exact duration is unknown.

The patient would be reviewed daily, Monday- Friday and would be re-patriated where clinically appropriate. The estimated total cost is £28,616.00 from 05th May 2026 to an unknown date.

The Trust had a spot purchasing arrangement with this provider in the past, and this is a continuation of that service for a new placement, now coming through the Trust, whereas previously it sat under the ICB. There were no alternative placements identified within the required timeframe.

The patient has no legal right to choose, but the Trust does not want to restrict the number of providers. This is a highly specialised psychiatric service with limited availability nationally. All known providers were contacted to ascertain whether they could provide the required service; only this provider responded in the required timeframe.