Adoption and Fostering Medical Advisory Service

Tender description

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) intended to award notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act do not apply to this award. In accordance with Regulation 10 of The Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, Hull City Council has awarded a contract under the Most Suitable Provider process as the Council is able to identify the most suitable provider without running a competitive exercise, for the provision of Adoption and Fostering Medical Advisory Service. The contract is anticipated to commence 1st July 2026 ending by 31st October 2026. The Authority has estimated the value of the services to be £20,000. No representations were made. This notice serves as an award under the Provider Selection Regime. Please note: there shall be a longer term contract opportunity for this service that shall be advertised in the near future. Lot 1: The Aims of the service are to provide specialist medical advice to support the safe, effective and lawful assessment of prospective foster carers, adopters and special guardians. The service aims to: - Evaluate medical information about prospective adopters, foster carers and special guardianship applicants and give a view to the adoption and fostering assessment services about applicants' health needs that will inform the decision about their suitability as adopters or foster carers. - Ensure that all medical assessments for prospective carers are reviewed with appropriate clinical expertise. - Provide clear, balanced and child‑centred advice that enables effective decision‑making by social workers, managers, and adoption/fostering panels, working closely with named and designated looked after children professionals, GPs, local authority children's services, One Adoption and NHS England. - Support the matching process by assessing the compatibility of prospective carers' health with the needs of individual children, including those with disabilities, trauma histories or complex chronic health conditions. - Develop and maintain high standards of medical reporting through GP training, professional feedback and quality assurance processes. - Provide early consultation where medical issues may impact suitability or require specialist medical interpretation. - Strengthen interagency working across health, education and social care sectors to improve outcomes for children looked after. - Support Hull's sufficiency strategy by ensuring medical assessments do not become a barrier to timely carer approval or matching.