SEL ICB (Bexley) Health & Wellbeing Coaching and Community Health & Wellbeing Workers (CHWWs) with Social Prescribing Service Specification

The notice relates to SEL ICB (Bexley) Health & Wellbeing Coaching and Community Health & Wellbeing Workers (CHWWs) with Social Prescribing Service Specification services. The service is an existing service and will be provided by an existing provider.

The process being followed is a Most Suitable Provider Process under the Provider Selection Regime 2023 under the Most Suitable Provider (MSP) process (The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, Regulation 10). This service is for those who live in the London Borough of Bexley or are registered with a Bexley GP practice.

Following the publication of the NHS 10 Year Plan, Bexley Place is driving forward with establishing a Neighbourhood Health Service in each of its three neighbourhoods. A fundamental component of a neighbourhood health service is to support residents with the wider determinants of health which have an impact on how they are able to manage their long-term conditions.

The population in Bexley is diverse, both culturally and economically. The borough is split into 3 Neighbourhoods, these are: • Frognal (Sidcup & Bexley) • Clocktower (Bexleyheath & Welling) • North Bexley (Erith, Thamesmead & Abbey Wood) There are approximately 26,000 people living in Bexley who have 3 or more long term conditions.

North Bexley is the most culturally and economically diverse part of the borough, with 15,995 residents living in the lowest 20% deprivation decile - this is 15% of the North Bexley population. In the other parts of the borough, the number of residents living in the lowest 20% deprivation decile is 2,774, which is 2% of that population.

People living in the most deprived 20% of Bexley have a shorter life expectancy than those living in the least deprived 20%. For females, the gap is 2.2 years, and for males the gap is 5.2 years.

Bexley Place seeks an established provider of voluntary services based in the London Borough of Bexley, with a proven track record in currently delivering social prescribing and peer support services. The provider must be able to mobilise within 3 months of the contract award.

The provider will be expected to work closely with SEL Integrated Care Board (Bexley Place) to mobilise, deliver and evaluate the service model. The Commissioner may request that the provider modifies the delivery of the service if the findings from the evaluation or resident feedback gives just reason.

The commissioner is seeking to achieve, via this procurement, a service and provider that is committed to supporting the development of neighbourhood models of healthcare. The 10-Year Health Plan mandates neighbourhood models of healthcare and these are currently being developed across England.

In Bexley, by 2026, the borough will have in place three neighbourhoods each with a new integrated neighbourhood team. This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intention to award notice.

The awarding of this contract is 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 this award.

The publication of this notice marks the start of the standstill period. Representations by providers must be made to decision makers by 15/10/2026.

This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as an intention to award under the PSR. Relative Importance of Key Criteria: The following key criteria were applied in the assessment of the provider: - Quality and Innovation - Value - Integration, Collaboration and Service Sustainability - Improving Access, Reducing Health Inequalities and Facilitating Choice - Social Value Rationale for the Relative Importance of the Key Criteria: The relative importance of the key criteria reflects the Authority's need to secure a safe, high-quality, and effective service for patients with a provider that is committed to supporting the development of neighbourhood models of healthcare while ensuring value for money under the Provider Selection Regime.

The assessment method of all five key criteria aimed to allow the Authority to identify the most suitable provider to achieve the service aims of improving wellbeing, increasing independence, and reducing avoidable reliance on urgent and acute services. Rationale for Choosing the Provider: The provider met the basic selection criteria in accordance with Regulation 19 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 by achieving a pass.

The provider also passed the assessment of exclusions (Exclusion Grounds - Grounds for Mandatory Exclusion and Exclusion Grounds - Grounds for Discretionary Exclusion) in line with Regulation 20 of the PSR. In addition, the provider achieved the required standard against the five key criteria. Conflicts of Interest: No conflicts of interest were declared.