Suffolk Night Owls

Tender description

A local 7 nights a week emotional support helpline for registered service users including via text and email for registered people with complex needs. This includes those with a diagnosis of Personality Disorder or who present with behaviours typical of such conditions. The service responds to requests to callbacks offering booked and timed appointments in-bound and outbound calls, and registered users can email and text. A twenty minute slot is allocated and where necessary the helpline staff will make onward professional referrals/contacts including safeguarding. Lot 1: A local 7 nights a week emotional support helpline for registered service users including via text and email for registered people with complex needs. This includes those with a diagnosis of Personality Disorder or who present with behaviours typical of such conditions. The service responds to requests to callbacks offering booked and timed appointments in-bound and outbound calls, and registered users can email and text. A twenty minute slot is allocated and where necessary the helpline staff will make onward professional referrals/contacts including safeguarding. • The service runs 7 nights a week from 6.30pm - 1.00am with calls being taken between 7.00pm and 1.00am. • The services offer time limited number of calls of approximately 20 minutes to offer support but with boundaries required for people with complex needs. • There are approximately 1300 people registered with 770 having not accessed the service to date with approx. 80 regular people in contact with the service. Some are in daily contact through to those with monthly contact. • The calls are RAG rated with the majority being amber rated, with a few being red rated. • Staff training includes: Helpline Training; Suicide prevention; Risk Assessment and Management; Safeguarding; KUF and MHFA. - Two trained helpline staff working from 6.30pm to 1.00am manning the incoming calls, ansaphone, emails and texts throughout the night. RAG rating and prioritising calls. - The staff on the helpline shall: • Support the client with their immediate crisis and assist them to develop strategies to deal with life events and gain insight regarding their mental wellbeing. • Suggest techniques for reducing anxiety and negative thoughts. • Focus on keeping the client safe and encouraging them to develop self-help strategies and resilience. • Signpost to the relevant service if deemed necessary when the call is ending, and the caller has not been de-escalated. • Call in the emergency services if required. The contract will last one year, and this will provide continuity of care for the registered clients. An external review will take place of all available services for clients to access, and alternative options or recommissioning will be considered based on the findings of the review. No extension has been planned for this service. NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board are awarding the contract named within this notice under the Direct Award C process which is outlined within the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The provider named in this notice is an existing provider and has been reviewed through a Key Criteria assessment to ensure the awarding body is satisfied with current performance and reasonably expects the provider to be able to satisfy the contract which is the subject of this notice. The contract which is the subject of this notice has not changed considerably when compared with the existing / previous contract delivered by the named provider. The ICB may wish to introduce additional services during the lifetime of the contract ("Contract modifications"). Such contract modifications will be contemplated where additional requirements are similar and or complementary to the services already included in the Specification, at any given time. Such expansion would be by the addition of services commissioned by the Authority as named in the Contract Notice. To this end, after the award of contract, there is a possibility that the contract may be varied as allowable in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. Lot 1: A local 7 nights a week emotional support helpline for registered service users including via text and email for registered people with complex needs. This includes those with a diagnosis of Personality Disorder or who present with behaviours typical of such conditions. The service responds to requests to callbacks offering booked and timed appointments in-bound and outbound calls, and registered users can email and text. A twenty minute slot is allocated and where necessary the helpline staff will make onward professional referrals/contacts including safeguarding. • The service runs 7 nights a week from 6.30pm - 1.00am with calls being taken between 7.00pm and 1.00am. • The services offer time limited number of calls of approximately 20 minutes to offer support but with boundaries required for people with complex needs. • There are approximately 1300 people registered with 770 having not accessed the service to date with approx. 80 regular people in contact with the service. Some are in daily contact through to those with monthly contact. • The calls are RAG rated with the majority being amber rated, with a few being red rated. • Staff training includes: Helpline Training; Suicide prevention; Risk Assessment and Management; Safeguarding; KUF and MHFA. - Two trained helpline staff working from 6.30pm to 1.00am manning the incoming calls, ansaphone, emails and texts throughout the night. RAG rating and prioritising calls. - The staff on the helpline shall: • Support the client with their immediate crisis and assist them to develop strategies to deal with life events and gain insight regarding their mental wellbeing. • Suggest techniques for reducing anxiety and negative thoughts. • Focus on keeping the client safe and encouraging them to develop self-help strategies and resilience. • Signpost to the relevant service if deemed necessary when the call is ending, and the caller has not been de-escalated. • Call in the emergency services if required. The contract will last one year, and this will provide continuity of care for the registered clients. An external review will take place of all available services for clients to access, and alternative options or recommissioning will be considered based on the findings of the review. No extension has been planned for this service. NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board are awarding the contract named within this notice under the Direct Award C process which is outlined within the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The provider named in this notice is an existing provider and has been reviewed through a Key Criteria assessment to ensure the awarding body is satisfied with current performance and reasonably expects the provider to be able to satisfy the contract which is the subject of this notice. The contract which is the subject of this notice has not changed considerably when compared with the existing / previous contract delivered by the named provider. The ICB may wish to introduce additional services during the lifetime of the contract ("Contract modifications"). Such contract modifications will be contemplated where additional requirements are similar and or complementary to the services already included in the Specification, at any given time. Such expansion would be by the addition of services commissioned by the Authority as named in the Contract Notice. To this end, after the award of contract, there is a possibility that the contract may be varied as allowable in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.