Secure mental health transport

SNEE ICB are planning to formalise the commissioning arrangements in relation to the appropriate and secure transportation of people who have mental health needs in Ipswich and East and West Suffolk. North East Essex and Waveney are currently out of scope for these arrangements.

The secure transportation should be delivered with a person-centred and trauma informed approach and should not adversely impact the mental wellbeing of the service user. Transport will be required within the county of Suffolk and may be required from Suffolk to any area within the United Kingdom.

These transport arrangements will contribute to the operation of the crisis and urgent emergency system in Suffolk; and commissioned transport providers will need to have regard to prevent any negative impacts on patient flow across the system. In the autumn 2025, SNEE ICB intends to release to the market an accreditation opportunity to provide secure transport services for people with mental health needs in Suffolk on a framework.

The current activity cost for secure mental health transportation is £407,746 per annum. Please send responses in respect of the questions and any comments on the specification to procurement@snee.nhs.uk by 17:00 on the 31 July 2025.

Please include direct contact information in case the Commissioners would like to discuss your responses further. Additional information: This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Prior Information Notice.

The awarding of any contract in a future procurement process will be subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to any process which may be published in relation to this notice.