Health services

Tender description

The NHS in England seeks to improve services for the alleviation of gender dysphoria. The key objectives of the procurement are to create sufficient additional capacity to meet increasing demand by contracting for up to 9 organisations to act as gender dysphoria clinics (adult services) to strengthen the current delivery model through specialised multi-disciplinary teams in designated clinics all working to a new agreed specification [gender dysphoria clinics (adult services)]. Designate up to 2 gender dysphoria clinics as lead providers to manage a national or supra-regional network of clinics [national trans health units]. Designate a gender dysphoria clinic to support an extended delivery model that offers access to specialist interventions by trained healthcare professionals in primary care. [lead gender dysphoria clinic for the Greater Manchester Trans Health Service] To be considered as a National Trans Health Unit or the lead gender dysphoria clinic for the Greater Manches. NHS England seeks to award contracts for up to 9 gender dysphoria clinics (adult services). The strategic approach to re-building gender dysphoria services over the next 7 years has to address: a continuing and significant increase in demand without the potential for a corresponding increase in capacity under the current delivery model and provider configuration; national workforce constraints in the specialist workforce; patient dissatisfaction with current commissioning and delivery models; absence of meaningful and consistent patient-related information reported by providers; increasing tension between specialist teams and the primary care workforce; unsophisticated contracting and payment models that do not provide reassurance that resource is being effectively deployed to service improvement; and no meaningful quality indicators. NHS England plans to achieve a future delivery and configuration of specialised services that are sustainable and offer an optimal model of care, characterised by timely and equitable access to the range of available interventions, consistent delivery models and excellent patient experience. Contracts will commence in November 2019 and will be for an initial 5 years plus maximum 2 years extensions. Contract will cover England and Wales. This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the commissioners. NHS England will appoint one or 2 of the designated Lot 1: gender dysphoria clinics to be lead providers (called national trans health units) to support NHS England in achieving the strategic ambitions for the future model for delivery of gender dysphoria services, and to help achieve effective operational delivery by the other gender dysphoria clinics. The key benefits that NHS England aims to realise are: — support to NHS England in achieving its strategic ambitions for gender dysphoria services, including the long-term sustainability of the national service through development of new delivery models, — greater accountability of gender dysphoria clinics to individuals who use the service, including the involvement of service users in the monitoring of services and in the future development of services, — greater collaboration (strategic and operational) across the configuration of gender dysphoria clinics, — a concerted long-term focus on quality, service improvement and transformation through co-design, — a smart use of data to measure performance and inform service development, — improved value and transparency in how public money is deployed by providers for the benefit of patients. Contracts will commence in November 2019 and will be for an initial 5 years plus maximum 2 years extensions. Contract will cover England. In response to concerns about the sustainability of the current delivery model and poor patient experience including long waiting times, NHS England is establishing an early adopter pilot that will evaluate how the care delivered by a gender dysphoria clinic can be delivered by a primary care team in a local setting with the support of a linked lead gender dysphoria clinic, adapted to meet the specific needs of the population of Greater Manchester (the Trans Health Service). The relationship between the Trans Health Service and the linked gender dysphoria clinic will be founded in partnership, joint working and collaboration within separate corporate governance and management structures. The Trans Health Service will have a formal relationship with a linked gender dysphoria clinic that is commissioned by NHS England. The linked lead gender dysphoria clinic will be resourced to perform this role via a separately funded contract with NHS England. The Trans Health Service and the lead gender dysphoria clinic will work together to develop the necessary joint working arrangements for the care of individuals accessing the service. Shared care arrangements between the services must be delivered in a manner that is in the best interests of the individual. The lead gender dysphoria clinic will agree with NHS England a programme of experiential training for the Trans Health Service team that will complement the training that it will receive through the royal college of physicians’ accredited credential, and that is informed by the outcome of a national working group convened by NHS England for this purpose. The support delivered by the gender dysphoria clinic will include training, mentoring and supervision of the clinical members of the Trans Health Service team, including direct involvement in the assessment and diagnosis and overall care management of patients seen within the Trans Health Service. The lead gender dysphoria clinic will participate in a formal evaluation of the service over two years, including compliance with data reporting requirements. Contract duration is 2 years plus maximum 1 year extension. This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the commissioners.