Call centre

Tender description

Provision of a telephone help and guidance service for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) which is a package of care for adults aged 18 or over, who may need ongoing care and support because of complicated, intense or unpredictable healthcare needs resulting from a disability, accident or illness. Below is an outline of the requirements for the proposed contract. Please note that these are subject to change. NHS England/Improvement (NHSE/I) is seeking to re-procure a national information and advice service for NHS Continuing Healthcare for a two year period from 1.4.2020. NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of care for adults aged 18 or over, who may need ongoing care and support because of complicated, intense or unpredictable healthcare needs resulting from a disability, accident or illness. The care that is paid entirely by the NHS is called NHS Continuing Healthcare. The national framework for NHS continuing healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-framework-for-nhs-continuing-healthcare-and-nhs-funded-nursing-care Sets out the principles and processes for assessment determining whether individuals with complex needs are the responsibility of the NHS (free at the point of delivery) or social care (means tested). The NHS CHC assessment of whether an individual is the responsibility of the NHS or social care often occurs at a time of great stress for the individual and their family. It is therefore crucial, that individuals and their families understand the complexities of NHS CHC and, in particular, that long term care can be the responsibility of the NHS and/or social care – one service that is free at the point of delivery and the latter, means tested which can have significant financial consequences for the individual. To support this, NHSE/I has funded a free national information and advice service since December 2017, to provide independent and high-quality specialist advice to support individuals, their families and representatives in England, who are going through the NHS CHC process. The service focuses on explaining why there is an assessment process, what this assessment process is and if eligible for NHS CHC, what this means in terms of commissioning a care package. Outline of requirements – please note these are subject to change The provider must be independent of any local NHS CHC decision making/eligibility assessment process. This independent service must be provided by highly trained and skilled staff with knowledge of this complex area. Current and expected volumes of work The volume of work over the operating period of this contract is expected to be in the region of: — approximately 46 000 information and advice service calls (23 000 per year), — approximately 30 000 in-depth/written consultation sessions (15 000 per year), — Outputs/deliverables. The type of advice expected includes: — supporting people with specific conditions, — explanation of the complex operational patient pathway, — presenting a detailed understanding of guidance and legislation for NHS CHC, — mandatory requirements. In addition to the service provision, NHSE/I expect the following more detailed elements to be in place as part of the service to be provided: Systems and tools — provision of a 0345 number for received calls, — the telephone system should have the ability to record calls, implement a call-tree menu to separate advice calls from casework calls at source, and collect automated feedback, — provision of a unique IP address with the ability to collate figures of website visits, — provision of a case management system, — provision of tools to allow service users to obtain a straight forward guide to researching NHS CHC themselves, — provision of written guides to be sent out to service users who have called the helpline, — people and relationships, — capacity to meet expected national demand.