Health services

Tender description

The provision of specialist dementia nursing beds within Leeds. NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Groups recognise the difficulties for people and families in finding the right care when there are complex needs related to dementia, including agitation and other behavioural and psychological needs, and comorbidity with frailty, and other physical and mental ill-health. Transfers of care from hospitals can be especially difficult because the acute care environment can cause disorientation and distress and lead to presenting needs which would resolve to a degree with the right provision. Transfers from specialist dementia wards cause different challenges because the people needing care home placements have complex needs more likely to be medium- to long-term. Therefore, local NHS commissioners are exploring the provision of a highly-staffed specialist unit which could offer specialist dementia care with nursing for periods of a few weeks to perhaps months, as part of our plans to provide the right care for people living with dementia. The unit is envisaged as being 10-12 beds, staffed on each shift with 1 care worker per 3 residents, plus 24/7 cover from qualified nursing. There would be a registered manager and additional staff would cover appropriate provision of activities, plus administration and reception. The preferred model is that an independent care provider would work in partnership with the local NHS provision of specialist dementia services, in order to offer continuity of care as people move on to longer-term support. Thus the NHS would provide medical and multi-disciplinary input as 'inreach', facilitated by a room to use as a clinical station with appropriate IT connectivity for remote access to systems. The independent care provider would be the registered provider of accommodation, care and nursing. The local authority and NHS would provide social work / health case management as 'inreach'. However, we are also interested in hearing from providers with different proposals for the model of care, eg. offering elements of medical or multidisciplinary provision. Ideally the provision should make use of existing accommodation, to reduce lead-in time and to fulfill the current capacity need that is evident in the system. However, commissioners are also interested in hearing from prospective providers with proposals for new, purpose-built accommodation for longer term solutions. Interested providers should respond to this 'market test' by Wednesday 31 January with a concise statement of approximately 1000 words (please do not include any generic marketing literature) which: — confirms their interest in providing such services and the proposed accommodation in the Leeds area, — describes briefly their proposed model of provision, especially if different to the preferred model above, — describes briefly an approach to recruiting appropriate numbers of nursing and care staff, — describes briefly the current staffing model of the organisation and any reliance on local bank staff, — covers any other strengths or aspects of market-readiness relevant to the needs and provisions described above. If you feel additional pertinent information should be included that exceeds 1000 words please contact the commissioner beforehand. Statements will not be marked or scored as this is a market test and not a competitive process. Commissioners wish to understand the extent to which prospective providers are ready to deliver these services, or whether further development work is required. Statements should be submitted through the https://www.nhssourcing.co.uk portal in any format that you wish.