VEAT NOTICE - Perinatal Emotional Health and Wellbeing Service for Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire CCG

NHS Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BSW CCG) is planning to contract with Bluebell Care for the provision of a Perinatal Emotional Health Wellbeing Service in Bath and North East Somerset under a Single Tender Waiver (STW). This service provision aimed at women with mild to moderate perinatal mental health needs has been developed during a pilot with four local voluntary/charitable organisations under the banner of the Perinatal Emotional Wellbeing Partnership (PEWP).

The PEWP pilot managed to create a coherent and coordinated service offer in partnership with Health Visiting, Maternity, Children Centre and specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health services. The service objectives are: To provide holistic and accessible care to women experiencing perinatal mental health concerns, in order to reduce anxiety and promote positive emotional health and wellbeing • To support new mothers to develop coping skills in order to better manage their own emotional health • To ensure that mums, dads and families affected by perinatal mental illness have increased ability to manage their mental health leading to reduced anxiety and healthier family lives.

Mothers and families affected by perinatal mental illness will be more informed about how to access support locally to further enhance their recovery and social networks • To tackle social isolation & stigma and offer effective mental health support for parents who are often falling through gaps in statutory services and are vulnerable to their mental health deteriorating further • If/when the mother's poor mental health is affecting the relationship with her infant, to improve the infant's wellbeing by enhancing the relationship between them. It is deemed that Bluebell Care is the only provider able to meet the specific need for peer-to-peer support and to act as the lead organisation as part of a locally-based collaborative.

Furthermore, this approach will provide a harmonised, timely, flexible service that will enable the most appropriate use of funding for the therapeutic groups for this cohort of patients. The proposed contract will be for a period of up to 3 years commencing from 1st October 2021 at a contract value of £57,000 per annual giving a total contract value of £171,000.

For the reasons set out above NHS BSW CCG believes Bluebell Care to be the only capable provider locally and intends to proceed with a direct award. However, prior to proceeding with the award, the BSW CCG would be willing to hear from other potentially capable providers who believe they would be able to meet the above requirements.