Invitation to Tender For the Provision of : Local Healthwatch Service

Tender description

Slough Borough Council (SBC) is seeking interest from Social Enterprise organisations, including community groups, that can demonstrate innovative, effective and value for money approaches to manage and co-ordinate the local Healthwatch (LHW) service in Slough. LHW is the local health and social care consumer champion and represents all customers of these services and the general public who may themselves be future customers. A key requirement of LHW is to engage in particular with those who are vulnerable or often unheard. LHW is a member of the Slough Wellbeing Board and will champion the views of all customers and the general public at a strategic level to local health and social care commissioners and providers, and to Healthwatch England in order to improve services. LHW will be accountable to local customers of health and social care services, the general public and SBC in terms of the performance of its role and value for money. LHW will be expected to develop an effective working relationship/partnership with the independent advocacy provider and to develop means of generating alternative sources of income as well as delivering improving value for money and social value throughout the period of the contract including by maximising the use of volunteers. The Service will comply with all the statutory functions for LHW as set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and will have characteristics and values in line with the LHW Quality Statements that were introduced by Healthwatch England in 2016. The contract duration will be for one year and six months with the option to extend for a further 1 year subject to performance and future strategic priorities of the Council. Bidders should consider implications regarding the potential TUPE of employees when completing their responses.