Community Mental Health Services (Healthy Minds Service and Depression and Wellbeing Calls) LOTS in Mid and South Essex

This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 under the competitive process. The Procurement relates to the Invitation to Tender (competitive process) for the provision of Lot 1: Healthy Minds Service (mental health services).

The Authority has undertaken a full evaluation and assessment of the compliant bid submissions received as part of this competitive process, which were evaluated in line with the procurement documentation published within the Competitive Process Overview (CPO). The contract award criteria are specified in the procurement documentation and CPO. As a result of this, the Authority intends to award the proposed Contract for the Service to the Provider that achieved the highest technical and commercial scores across the key criteria used. (Weighted 90% Quality and 10% Price).

The purpose of this competitive process was for the Authority to secure a suitably qualified provider to deliver this Healthy Minds Service across Mid and South Essex.

LOT 1 Healthy Minds is a new, transformed service across the whole of Mid and South Essex that focuses on community-based mental wellbeing support, promoting resilience, early intervention, and social connection.

The Healthy Mind Service is a community-based mental health and wellbeing provision designed to offer timely, accessible, and person-centred support for adults aged 18+ across Mid and South Essex. The service will be delivered under a single umbrella but consist of two distinct, complementary pathways:

Service 1 – Mental Health Community Connectors (MHCC):

A flexible, community-facing service that acts as a first point of contact for individuals requiring mental health support. The MHCC team will work closely with Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) and local communities to connect people with appropriate services, community resources, and peer support. The focus will be on relationship building, social prescribing, personalised care planning, and enabling people to access the right support at the right time, without delivering long-term interventions.

Service 2 – Healthy Mind Hubs:

A short-term, community-based wellbeing offer providing a programme of holistic workshops, activities and wellbeing sessions to promote mental, physical and emotional health. The Hubs will act as a preventative and supportive resource for individuals with non-clinical mental health needs, aiming to build resilience, reduce isolation, and enhance community connections.

Together, these services will work in partnership with local statutory, voluntary, and community services to create an integrated, person-led mental health support system within neighbourhoods. Additional information: The maximum 3-year contract value for LOT 1 is £3,890,885.00 Pound Sterling, which acts as an affordability cap for the commercial offer template for this procurement.

The total aggregate contract value for LOT 1 over the 5-year contract term (inclusive of optional extensions) is £6,466,732.00 Pound Sterling.

This Intention to Award Notice is issued in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 under the competitive process. The Procurement relates to the Invitation to Tender (competitive process) for the provision of Lot 2: Depression and Wellbeing Calls Service (mental health services).

The Authority has undertaken a full evaluation and assessment of the compliant bid submissions received as part of this competitive process, which were evaluated in line with the procurement documentation published within the Competitive Process Overview (CPO). The contract award criteria are specified in the procurement documentation and CPO. As a result of this, the Authority intends to award the proposed Contract for the Service to the Provider that achieved the highest technical and commercial scores across the key criteria used. Weighted 90% Quality and 10% Price assessment.

The purpose of this competitive process was for the Authority to secure a suitably qualified provider to deliver this Lot 2: Depression and Wellbeing Calls Service across Mid and South Essex.

LOT 2 – Depression Wellbeing Calls

LOT 2 Depression Wellbeing Calls is a new, transformed service across the whole of Mid and South Essex. This is a targeted service providing proactive support for people newly diagnosed with depression by their Primary Care Practitioner, prescribed medication, referred to Talking Therapies, or both.

The Depression Wellbeing Calls Service provides structured, proactive telephone support for individuals who have been newly diagnosed with depression by their Primary Care Practitioner and/or prescribed medication, referred to Talking Therapies, or both. The service offers a structured and compassionate response, ensuring the first contact with the individual is made within 3 working days of referral from primary care.

The service aims to address the immediate needs of those presenting with depression, offering a blend of emotional support, goal-setting, and self-management strategies. The goal is to reduce the risk of suicide, enhance mental wellbeing, and support individuals in managing their daily lives, empowering them to transition to longer-term care and recovery services as necessary. Additional information: The maximum 3-year contract value for LOT 2 is £285,875.00 Pound, which acts as an affordability cap for the commercial offer template for this procurement.

The total aggregate contract value for LOT 2 over the 5-year contract term (inclusive of optional extensions) is £475,130.00 Pound Sterling.

a) Lot 1 - Healthy Mind Services– currently known as ‘Wellbeing Hubs’, ‘Happy Hubs’ and ‘Positive Pathways’ Services. This lot will focus on delivering community-based mental wellbeing support, promoting resilience, early intervention, and social connection.

b) Lot 2 - Depression Wellbeing Calls – a targeted service aimed at providing proactive support for people who have been newly diagnosed with depression by their Primary Care Practitioner and/or have been prescribed medication, referred to Talking Therapies or both. Additional information: The service that this Prior Information Notice (PIN) relates is within scope of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The Authority is bound only by the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 do not apply.