Custody Healthcare Services - Pre Market Engagement

This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of Cheshire Constabulary/PCC for Cheshire’s intention to recommission a Custody Healthcare Service. It is likely that this will occur in the middle part of 2023 for commencement 1st December 2023. The contract will replace the Integrated Service which has been in place since 2018. The PCC would like to understand the level & range of service provider interest in delivering these services and is seeking providers who have the capability and capacity to deliver a resilient service. The service shall provide fully qualified, trained and competent Healthcare Professionals 24/7/365(6) in the 3 Centralised Custody Suites (which lends itself to an embedded model) in the Cheshire Constabulary area. The service will need to assess, treat & signpost Detained Persons (DPs) to ensure fitness for detention, interview, charge, transport as well as gathering evidence for presentation at court e.g obtain blood and intimate samples. The service needs to be reactive to short notice operational needs as well as proactive to longer term strategies. The ever evolving operational and custody requirements need to fully integrate with the NHS England commissioned Liaison & Diversion Services and other partner agencies in the local health, social care and voluntary sectors. Developing and maintaining referral pathways will be a key requirement. A robust performance framework for the service will be required.

The Police custody suites are located at Middelwich, Runcorn and Blacon (Chester)

The services within scope, include PACE compliant core Custodial Healthcare provision, primarily, Custody DP Healthcare management, the provision of medical & forensic examinations, treatment for minor medical injuries, fitness assessments prior to interview, charging, bailing, court appearance &/or release, live clinical oversight, crisis support, management of substance misuse & onward referral services for people who have been DPs. The interventions required for Test on Arrest will also form part of the requirements.

The provider will need to have call centre type facilities and/or electronic means through which custody staff can ask for forensic medical & healthcare services. The Provider will need to have an electronic system connected to the NHS summary care record.

The service specification will be based around the national custody healthcare specification and include specific Cheshire elements. A copy of the current Integrated Service specification (which includes L&D) and the most recent copy of the national custody healthcare specification will be made available to interested providers.

The purpose of this PIN is without call for competition only at this stage to alert & gauge the market and provide a conduit for potential service providers to express an interest and become involved in pre-tender engagement events. Interested providers will be contacted during March to arrange one-to-one appointments.

The estimated value included in this PIN relates to a contract period of around 5 years. The PCC has not yet confirmed the contract duration and would be seeking discussion at the market engagement appointments in relation to likely costs. Additional information: Please express an interest via EU Supply. Those expressing interest will be contacted during March to arrange one-to-one appointments. Publication or response does not commit the PCC or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest.