REPORT TO ADULTS’

HEALTH AND WELLBEING COMMISSIONING GROUP

REPORT OF DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Review & Procurement of an Integrated Sexual Health Service in Teesside

  1. PURPOSE OF REPORT
  2. To update the commissioning group on progress to review and procure an Integrated Sexual health Service from 2016 onwards. This report is a product of the Integrated Sexual Health Service Project led by Tees Valley Public Health Shared Service with procurement information provided by Stockton on Tees Borough Council Public Health team.
  1. BACKGROUND
  2. Stockton on Tees Borough Council is leading a procurement on the behalf of seven commissioners as follows:
  • Hartlepool Borough Council
  • Middlesbrough Borough Council
  • Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council
  • Stockton on Tees Borough Council
  • Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees NHS Clinical Commissioning Group
  • South Tees NHS Clinical Commissioning Group
  • NHS England
  • Tees Valley Public Health Shared Service has developed led and coordinated the project to date in order to reach a point where we have a fit for purpose product with which to go out to market.
  1. CURRENT POSITION
  2. The sexual health service offers full sexual health and contraception services including STI testing and treatment, chlamydia screening, HIV testing, post exposure prophylaxis for HIV, contraception, long acting contraception (LARC), sterilisation, vasectomy, cervical screening and psychosexual counselling. The service also delivers outreach services in schools, colleges and other settings to provide low threshold access to sexual health services for young people and other at risk groups.

3.2.The current service has been commissioned in 2011 by NHS Tees (PCT) for 5 years. As a result of the NHS reconfiguration in 2013 there are now seven commissioners which include Stockton BC, Hartlepool BC, Middlesbrough BC, Redcar &Cleveland BC, HAST CCG, ST CCG and NHS England. The service is predominately commissioned by local authorities and currently provided by Virgin Care.

3.3.Local authorities are mandated to provide open access and free of charge sexual health services. The Tees Valley Public Health Service commissions sexual health services on behalf of the four local authorities and is leading on the sexual health service review and reprocurement for a new service starting from July 2016

3.4.Consultation

3.4.1.In early 2015 a comprehensive consultation on sexual health services invited young people, residents, vulnerable groups, service users, sexual health service staff, subcontractors and other stakeholders to contribute their views and experiences. Across Teesside a total of 1063 people participated in the consultation. ,,,,, young people and general public in Stockton

3.4.2.Residents and service users were very positive about the local sexual health service. Over 80% of service users were completely satisfied with the care they received and had confidence and trust in the health professionals.

3.4.3.Access to services was perceived as good with most respondents stating that they preferred services close to home for examples at GP practices. The main barrier to access services was embarrassment particularly for young women and ethnic minority groups. There was some concern about waiting times.

3.4.4.Information about the service could be improved with 20% of respondent stating that they were not well informed about where they could find services. Respondents were asking for more information online and through social media.

3.4.5.Service staff and other providers were proud of the service they provided and over would recommend the service to their family and friends. Staff was aware of the need to address health inequalities, waiting times and to improve the marketing and publicity of the service.

3.4.6.Other stakeholders were complimentary of the staff, the integrated service model, the flexibility of the service to respond to patient needs both in terms of access and number of clinics and subcontractors. Stakeholders suggested better and targeted marketing and outreach provision particularly for young people and vulnerable groups and more integrated and partnership working with the statutory and voluntary sector as key improvements.

3.4.7.The consultation report can be found at www. teespublichealth.co.uk

3.5.Sexual Health Needs Assessment

3.5.1.A sexual health needs assessment concluded that;

3.5.2.Considering the high level of STIs and teenage pregnancies in Teesside a continued high level of demand for sexual health services should be expected over the coming years.

3.5.3.Any service development should take place with a particular focus on the needs of young people, people living in deprived areas and vulnerable groups.

3.5.4.The development of the sexual health service should include the provision of extended opening time, particularly in services with high demand and a review of the utilisation, accessibility, target groups and local need for spoke clinics and outreach in each area to achieve an equitable and accessible service meeting the needs of the local population.

3.5.5.Accessibility of sexual health services for a higher proportion of the population should be ensured particularly for those who would not normally use sexual health services e.g. through the strengthening of sexual health service provision through GP practices and community pharmacies

3.5.6.High rates of teenage pregnancy in Teesside should be recognised and lead to a review current prevention strategies based on national guidance and best practice in local authorities with similar populations.

3.5.7.Resources, training and delivery of SRE, C-card schemes and other programmes in youth services and schools should be reviewed to ensure equitable access and that schools and youth services are supported and regularly updated to deliver sexual health awareness and prevention programmes.

3.5.8.A coordinated approach to campaigns and the dissemination of information should be ensured through working with Public Health England and local organisations.

3.5.9.There is a need for focussed assessments of sexual health needs of vulnerable or at risk groups such as people with learning disabilities, BME groups, MSM, sex workers and homeless people.

3.5.10.VCS are crucial in raising awareness of sexual health issues and in supporting vulnerable/ at risk groups and patients.

3.5.11.Referral pathways between SARC and other sexual health services should be improved.

3.5.12.Reinstate a sexual health forum in Teesside to ensure communication and cooperation between all providers of sexual health services.

3.6.Service Specification

3.6.1.The service specification is complete, has had thorough review and amendment and reflects;

  • the needs of the Local Authority commissioners for delivering a value for money service delivering a 7.4% efficiency saving on investment to date and driving the prevention agenda
  • the needs of Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees NHS Clinical Commissioning Group in commissioning the delivery of clinical services
  • the needs of South Tees NHS Clinical Commissioning Group in commissioning the delivery of clinical services
  • the needs of NHS England in commissioning the delivery of clinical services
  • Local service requirements and locations
  • Commissioners have used the service utilisation report of past activity and the consultation undertaken across the Tees area to ensure that on both the service specification and within the evaluation of bids, the local service requirements and location of service delivery are clear and can be assessed for value for money, quality and ability to target the groups in greatest need.
  • The procurement documentation includes several reference tools for bidders;
  • Service Utilisation Report
  • Consultation Summary
  • Service Configuration and Estates Vision
  • Pricing Vision
  • Sexual Health Needs Assessment
  • These documents reinforce the need to deliver an integrated service whilst delivering against local priority and need.

3.8.Procurement timeline

3.8.1.From initiation of the entire project the timescale has been revised and the agreed date for the procurement to go live on the North East Procurement portal is Friday 18th September 2015.

3.8.2.The indicative timeline from date of advertisement is described below in Table 1.1

Table 1.1

PHASE / MILESTONE / REVISED DEADLINE
PROCUREMENT PERIOD / OJEU notice placed / 17th SEPTEMBER 2015
Advert Placed - PROCUREMENT OPENS / 18th SEPTEMBER 2015
Closing date for Tender submissions / 10:00am 16th NOVEMBER 2015
EVALUATION / Opening of Tenders / 10:00am 16th NOVEMBER 2015
EVALUATION QUALITY STAGE 1 / Selection Questionnaire / Award Questionnaire Evaluation / From 16th NOVEMBER 2015
Until 19th NOVEMBER 2015
Clarification Meeting
Estate Model dialogue
Outcome Related Payment dialogue / 24th NOVEMBER 2015
25th NOVEMBER 2015
EVALUATION QUALITY STAGE 2 / Providers invited to resubmit ITT post dialogue from date / 12:00pm 26th NOVEMBER 2015
Closing date for best and final offer tender Submissions / 10:00am 9th DECEMBER 2015
ITT Re-evaluation / from 9th DECEMBER 2015
until 11th DECEMBER 2015
EVALUATION / PANEL RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD / between 26th NOVEMBER 2015 & 11th DECEMBER 2015
AWARD / PANEL RECOMMENDATION
to Steering Group and DPHs / 14th DECEMBER 2015
Decision Record Signatures Obtained / 15th DECEMBER 2015
31st DECEMBER 2015
Letters issued to successful & unsuccessful bidders / 4th JANUARY 2016
Standstill Period (10 days) / 5th JANUARY 2016
14th JANUARY 2016
CONTRACT AWARD LETTER SENT / 15th JANUARY 2016
CONTRACT MOBILISATION / Mobilisation Progress Meeting with Provider, TVPHSS & Commissioners - Meeting 1 / JANUARY 2016
Mobilisation Progress Meeting with Provider, TVPHSS & Commissioners - Meeting 2 / FEBRUARY 2016
Mobilisation Progress Meeting with Provider, TVPHSS & Commissioners - Meeting 3 / MARCH 2016
Mobilisation Progress Meeting with Provider, TVPHSS & Commissioners - Meeting 4 / APRIL 2016
Mobilisation Progress Meeting with Provider, TVPHSS & Commissioners - Meeting 5 / MAY 2016
Mobilisation Progress Meeting with Provider, TVPHSS & Commissioners - Meeting 6 / JUNE 2016
SERVICE COMMENCEMENT / 1st JULY 2016
  1. NEXT STEPS
  2. A full procurement will now be initiated following SBC procurement protocol.
  3. Tees Valley Public Health Shared Service will liaise with SBC Public Health to ensure consistent and agreed communication with stakeholders throughout this stage of the project.
  4. SBC Procurement and Legal Services will continue to support and guide the procurement process.
  5. Risks will continue to be identified and managed as per the Project Strategy and in line with a project management approach.
  1. RECOMMENDATION
  2. That the commissioning group notethe contents of this report.

REPORT ENDS

Author: Dr Tanja Braun – TVPHSS

Dave Smith – SBC Public Health

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