Primary Care Mental Health and Talking Therapy Service

NHS Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG is undertaking a procurement for the provision of a Primary Mental Health & Talking Therapy Service (incorporating Improving Access to Psychological Therapies).

The contract duration will be 2 years (24 months) with an option to extend for a further 1 years (12 months).

The aims and objectives of the service are

• To provide a single gateway for all patients requiring treatment and tailored support for common mental health problems at a primary care level.
• To co-ordinate each person's journey to recovery through the service by utilising a case management approach.
• To support the implementation of NICE guidelines, using evidence based psychological interventions, in the treatment of anxiety and depression.
• To offer a range of wider non-IAPT based interventions ensuring that both adapts and reflects the needs of a diverse population and compliments the delivery of statutory obligations in the delivery of psychological therapies.
• To offer a diverse range of interventions to include remote, face-to-face, group and guided self-help to ensure greater access and patient choice.
• Elements of the service delivering to people with LTC and/or MUS will be integrated into existing medical pathways and services.
• Services will be co-located with primary care, contingent on local network development.
• Provide individualised support to individuals who may have difficulty accessing the therapeutic elements of the service due to difficulties as a result of wider personal, social or clinical factors, that impact on their potential recovery.
• Provide a tailored service for pre and post-natal women who do not meet the threshold for specialist perinatal mental health services, but may be at an increased risk due to common mental health problems.
• In accordance with the key themes from co-design events the service will:
• provide direct access to a practitioner at the first point of contact.
• provide flexible access (including times) to services so not to exclude individuals in employment or with caring responsibilities.
• effectively assist people who feel they are in crisis and navigate any step up to more specialised services.
• acknowledge and support the role of carers and wider support networks
• link to wider community-based resources
• provide an early intervention to prevent the escalation of a problem.