Community health services

Tender description

The three Berkshire West Local Authorities: Reading Borough Council, West Berkshire District Council and Wokingham Borough Council are issuing an invitation to have a conversation with suppliers in the market to help develop the future delivery model of a local stop smoking service in Berkshire West. The three Berkshire West Local Authorities: Reading Borough Council, West Berkshire District Council and Wokingham Borough Council are issuing an invitation to have a conversation with suppliers in the market to help develop the future delivery model of a local stop smoking service in Berkshire West. Background Stop smoking services are crucial in driving down our smoking prevalence across Berkshire West. Whilst smoking prevalence in the three Berkshire West local authority areas is significantly lower than regional and national averages there are many sub-populations where smoking prevalence is far higher and/or they experience significant smoking-related health inequalities. We are determined to address these inequalities and focus our finite resources to achieve this. The evidence base remains clear that intensive behavioural support from highly trained advisors and access to pharmacotherapy gives an individual the best chance of quitting smoking successfully. However, the numbers accessing these services may no longer be sufficient to achieve ‘Smokefree 2030’ targets and with finite resources we consider it important to target this specialist support at our most vulnerable smokers. We wish to provide a level of support to the many other smokers who look to attempt to quit either alone or with support that requires less commitment than to the current specialist programme. Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham Local Stop Smoking Services The current contract is managed by the Shared Public Health Team at Bracknell Forest Council for Reading, West Berkshire and Wokingham. The current service delivery model is a universal evidence-based service with specialist behaviour support and pharmacotherapy available to all smokers. The current contract for this provision was due to end on 31 March 2021, however in light of Covid-19, arrangements have been made for a service to remain in place until 30 September 2021. The three Councils are seeking to jointly recommission the service with a revised service delivery model and commencement of the new service 1 October 2021. Proposed service delivery model The proposed service delivery model will be a flexible and responsive outcome-focused service that has a three-level approach based on the components of Professor Robert West (University College London) ‘Stop Smoking +’ model as outlined in Public Health England’s ‘Models of delivery for stop smoking services’. This three-level approach ensures priority groups are offered the most intensive and effective interventions at Level 3 (National Centre for Smoking Cessation Training standard treatment programme). Support to smokers will also be offered at Level 2 which would consist of brief advice and pharmacotherapy, and Level 1 which would consist of digital based information and support for those wishing to quit alone. The service should support residents to make an informed choice on the route best matched to their level of need, motivation to quit, and willingness to commit. Aim The conversation aims to provide suppliers in the market an opportunity to: • inform the draft service delivery model in Berkshire West; • contribute to ensuring the service delivery model proposed is financially viable and supports the provider market; • ask questions of the three Local Authorities and test ideas around the service delivery models; • get a brief overview of the Berkshire West procurement process and draft timescales of the tender. Due to the circumstances of Covid-19, the conversation is designed to be virtual. Suppliers are invited to participate in a 30-minute video-based conversation on the morning Tuesday 17 November 2020. Please contact PH.Contract@bracknell-forest.gov.uk to book a slot (on a first come first served basis) or to discuss alternatives if this time is not convenient. Slot times: 9 a.m., 9.45 a.m., 10.30 a.m., 11.15 a.m. and 12.00 noon. The invites will be Teams so when emailing PH.Contract@bracknell-forest.gov.uk please state email addresses of all whom you’d wish to attend from your organisation. This is an opportunity to have a conversation with the Lead Commissioners from the Council/s, to share and test out thoughts and ideas related to providing local stop smoking services, the draft service delivery model proposed in Berkshire West. The intention is to recognise the expertise you have in providing these services, with the Councils insights as commissioners working in local government when there is not the pressure of bidding for a contract. If you are interested in this market testing opportunity, the Council would like to hear from you as part of the market testing conversation. Note there will be procurement rules that will need to be complied with during this exercise e.g. no formal tender. Organisations must be registered on the South East Busyness Portal: https://sebp.due-north.com/