Autism diagnostic assessments for children (3 - 11 years) living in North and West Kent

Tender description

The Prior Information Notice(PIN) is issued by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust for Autism diagnostic assessments for children (3-11years) living in North and West Kent. Please note that this PIN does not represent a formal stage in the procurement process and will play no part in any subsequent evaluation process. The current contract will expire as at midnight on the 31st March 2023. Lot 1: Provision of Autism Spectrum Disorder clinics including assessment and diagnosis for children and young people 3 years to 11 years in Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley and west Kent. The provider will contribute to the bespoke face to face clinical MDTs for ASC assessment and diagnostics provided by KCHFT. The provider will provide a suitably qualified and experienced team of clinical staff (the Team) comprising of the following as appropriate. Either: • A consultant community paediatrician; or • A consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist Plus • A clinical psychologist; and/or • A speech and language therapist; and/or • An occupational therapist The Team will be (as appropriate): • registered with the relevant professional regulatory body, e.g. Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) • clinically supervised by the provider, ensuring that all work falls within their Governance Framework. The Team will undertake autism specific case history (using a standardised case history format) and a clinical observation assessment for autism reaching a conclusion regarding diagnosis and sharing this with the family at the time of assessment. The autism diagnostic assessments will be undertaken utilising appropriate clinical assessment tools, e.g. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and clinical judgement to support the differential diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The provider's clinical staff will supply and use their own Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) Kits for each clinical assessment undertaken as well as the relevant ADOS Module forms that are required as part of the assessment (the cost of these forms will be covered by the provider). All autism assessments will be carried out by two or three clinicians one of whom will always be either a consultant community paediatrician or consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist. The others will be, either, a clinical psychologist, a speech and language therapist or an occupational therapist. All assessments will follow the format detailed below: • ADOS and developmental history carried out simultaneously • Team confer and reach conclusion • Conclusion offered to parents immediately with opportunity for feedback and questions Full diagnostic reports with signposting to local services will be sent out six to eight weeks after the assessment. Written reports completed by the provider following each assessment will be distributed directly to the child's family and relevant professionals. Copies will be sent electronically via secure email (nhs.net or similarly encrypted email) and within six to eight weeks of the assessment being undertaken, to the KCHFT Community Paediatric Service to be added to the clinical files. The provider will ensure that the content of the reports are clinically appropriate to the assessment carried out and details the assessment findings and recommendations made by their staff during the assessment. A full audit of the service will be provided at the end of the contract to include statistics on diagnosis rates, satisfaction scores and feedback from parents. An identified provider staff member to be available five days per week as project manager for KCHFT staff to liaise with as required. Where the individual exhibits behaviour which places them at risk of offending, then onward referral to the local forensic service for assessment may be required.