NHSWYICB - West Yorkshire All Age Crisis Text Service

Tender description

This is a notice to inform the market of the intention to award a contract for the all age mental health crisis text service for the population of WYICB via the Most Suitable Provider Process Lot 1: This is a notice to inform the market of the intention to award a contract for all age mental health crisis text service for the population of WYICB via the Most Suitable Provider Process.<br/>The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, Paragraph 10 - The Page 4 to 5 Most Suitable Provider Process is being used to commission this service. This notice will be live for fourteen (14) days from the date of publication. This is a notice to inform the market of the intention to award a contract for all age mental health crisis text service for the population of WYICB. <br/>The aim of the service is to provide an all age crisis SMS text service for those experiencing mental health difficulty. <br/><br/>There are specific service elements the all age mental crisis text service is required to deliver, including but not limited to:<br/>• Text-based crisis intervention - Trained practitioners engage in real-time conversations with texters to provide immediate support and crisis intervention. These interventions may include active listening, safety planning, and de-escalation techniques tailored to the individual's needs.<br/>• Emotional support - In addition to crisis intervention, the service offers empathetic and non judgmental emotional support to individuals in distress. Practitioners work collaboratively with texters to explore their feelings, validate their experiences, and offer comfort and reassurance.<br/>• Referrals to appropriate services - Recognising that some crisis may require additional support beyond the scope of the text service, practitioners are equipped to provide referrals to appropriate services and resources. Whether it's connecting individuals with local mental health services, urgent mental health helplines / NHS 111 ‘select mental health option’, or community organisations, the service aims to facilitate access to ongoing support and care.<br/>• Safety planning and risk formulation - Conduct a risk assessment (by qualified mental health clinicians) to understand what the presenting risks are, which will contribute to safety planning. Often a safety plan will include carers and the wider multi-agency network, and <br/>practitioners should be skilled in identifying which other agencies in the care network need to contribute to safety planning, where appropriate. Practitioners will make reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010.<br/><br/>The Provider should be able to evidence that they: <br/>• Are able to provide a clinically led service with all text conversations answered by a qualified mental health practitioner. <br/>• Can operate the service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.<br/>• Can provide a service which can be be accessed by all ages across the UK. <br/>• Provide a SMS text service that is directly accessible to all texters at no cost to the texter. <br/>• Provide an SMS text service that ensures messages to the service are anonymised on the texters phone bill. <br/>• Ensure all messages treated confidentially and anonymously (unless there is a concern about the texters safety).<br/>The estimated value of the contract is £439,200 for a 2 year contract.