Delivery of Live Messaging, Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Services

Tender description

Summary of the work Delivery of online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) by BABCP accredited therapists via real time and asymmetric text based conversation. Performance data to be supplied monthly based on recognised clinical outcomes. Expected Contract Length 12 months + 1 option to extend for up to a further 12 months Latest start date Friday 1 March 2019 Budget Range Project funding will be discussed after award if appropriate. However the project currently has funding for 18 months approved by IJB and Health Board at anticipated costs and volumes based on indicative pricing assessed to date. Pricing tendered will be benchmarked against Scottish NHS Rates (factoring in travel and other expences). Why the Work is Being Done NHS Scotland has an 18 week waiting list target for psychological therapies. The organisation wants to provide an alternative method for patients in remote and rural areas to engage with psychological therapy and also increase capacity for CBT. The requirement is for an "off the shelf" existing, proven solution. Problem to Be Solved The NHS Board needs to increase capacity to deliver CBT and provide an alternative means of engagement for patients who have difficulty travelling to distant clinics on a regular basis. Recruiting qualified staff to work locally is often challenging so a remote solution is required. Who Are the Users As an adult patient of any age suffering from moderate to severe psychological distress, or with a long term health condition, I need to either be referred to the online service or will self-refer using a portal provided by the supplier, and then arrange an appointment which I can use from my own home or workplace on a computer or tablet or mobile phone. This is so that I can work with a qualified and supervised therapist using well organised and effective cognitive behavioural therapy to improve my coping skills and reduce distress caused by my psychological difficulties. Early Market Engagement NHS Western Isles has had preliminary discussions with Ieso Digital Health who currently provide an internet enabled CBT Service. We have also consulted with NHS 24 in Scotland, who are considering a similar requirement. Work Already Done Discovery phase consisting of market and clinical research is complete. Proposal discussed with colleagues in Boards across Scotland, MHAIST and NHS 24. Existing Team The supplier will primarily be working with Consultant Clinical Psychologists employed by NHS Western Isles but may also be required to engage with Primary Care (GP's), The Local Authority, The wider Mental Health team and NHS Western Isles Finance and Procurement. Current Phase Discovery Skills & Experience • Must have an existing solution with a proven track record and be able to provide a demonstration/case studies/customer references/ performance data. • Must be able to demonstrate the BABCP accreditation of all therapists delivering care using the solution. • The CBT provided must comply with NICE guidelines with validated PHQ9, GAD 7 and PEQ recovery metrics monitored to ensure compliance. • The therapy website must have effective security controls and ID authentication in place for both patient and therapist. • Therapy should be delivered by means of typed conversation allowing full transcripts of sessions to be securely retained and accessed. • The patient website account should also allow for messages to be delivered indipendent of sheduled therapy sessions. Nice to Haves • Website Interaction and Functionality • Availability of scheduled therapy at evenings and weekends • Ability to implement within 6-8 weeks of award • Solution available on multiple internet enabled devices and operating systems • Supplier has proposals for assisting with promotion of the new service amongst healthcare professionals and potential servic users. Work Location NHS Western Isles registered address is 37 South Beach Street, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, HS1 2BB. The service will be delivered remotely over the internet. Working Arrangments Contract review and discussion can be conducted remotely although 1 or more on site visits may be required. Incidental expenses related to the marketing, communication and delivery of service (such as travel) will not be reimbursed and should be factored into the overall price quoted. Security Clearance N/A beyond NHS clinical confidentiality standards and data sharing - or any site visit in care providing locations. Provider will not access NHS systems. Additional T&Cs Disputes under the contract will be settled under Scottish law. No. of Suppliers to Evaluate 3 Proposal Criteria • Solution Fit compared to requirements • Experience and accreditation of delivery team and therapists • technical components of web portal • Solution Delivery Timescales • Availability of KPI and management information • Value for money Cultural Fit Criteria • Be able to work with NHS Scotland organisations effectively. • Be able to demonstrate awareness of the communities where users are based. • Demonstrate ideas for additional innovation and community benefits. Payment Approach Fixed price Evaluation Weighting Technical competence 70% Cultural fit 10% Price 20% Questions from Suppliers 1. Are you looking exclusively for existing, off-the-shelf solutions? Yes. A proven solution with existing therapists and web architecture is required.