Social Wellbeing Service · UK public procurement notice

Contracts

• Contract 013729-2023-2016/S 232-423065-1 · Nova Wakefield District LimitedSME

  Signed

  29 Nov 2016

  Value

  £3,207,515

  Status

  active

  • Change The social wellbeing service requires collaboration between the Council, the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the 7 Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in the Wakefield District. The service requirements changed during the course of the Contract term due to the introduction of Social Prescribing Link Workers attached to each PCN. The Service Provider has to manage those staff to integrate the referrals from GPs as well as those referrals made directly from the public. During the course of 2022 the CCG transferred to the ICB, and belatedly confirmed they would take on commissioning responsibility of stoke reviews which formed part of the current Contract. The ICB confirmed they would lead on commissioning stroke reviews from April 2023 but delays occurred in confirming how the service would be provided and the transitional arrangements of the service transfer. Additionally, due to post Covid front line priorities, both the ICB and the 7 PCNs could not contribute to the new specification requirements despite the service requiring a collaborative approach by the 3 organisations to determine Specification priorities. Despite the delay caused by this lack of in-put the Council did carry out a stakeholder engagement exercise so it would be poised to complete a fully informed specification once the ICB and the PCNs confirmed their positions and requirements for the future service. The delay in obtaining a revised specification created the need to enter a short-term extension to allow a procurement process using the Open Procedure (Light Touch Regime). To try to obtain a new provider for 6 months would cause the Council significant cost and would not be practical due to the nature of the services provided. An alternative provider would not have an established self-management programme nor an existing infrastructure for referrals with the 7 Primary Care Networks in the District. This would require substantial additional contract management at additional cost/time to the Council to ensure cohesion with other services/pathways available or previously used by patient/residents or GP practices. The integration with social prescribing link workers would also create avoidable monitoring and duplication of management resources. To continue the service provision with the current provider will ensure that scarce resources are used appropriately and that the appropriate service is offered for all patients/residents whilst the service is re-procured Although the permitted extension period has expired the modification is permitted under Regulation 72(1)(b) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. It remains necessary that Nova continue to provide the service. A change in contractor cannot be made for economic and technical reasons and to attempt to request another provider to provide a service for 6 months would not be achievable and would result in significant inconvenience and substantial duplication of costs. The increase in the price of the 7th Variation of £239,209.50 to the Contract does not exceed 50% of the original contract value (£895,890.45)., Need for modification brought about by circumstances which a diligent contracting authority/entity could not foresee: During the course of 2022 the CCG transferred to the ICB, and belatedly confirmed they would take on commissioning responsibility of stoke reviews which formed part of the current Contract. The ICB confirmed they would lead on commissioning stroke reviews from April 2023 but delays occurred in confirming how the service would be provided and the transitional arrangements of the service transfer. Additionally, due to post Covid front line priorities, both the ICB and the 7 PCNs could not contribute to the new specification requirements despite the service requiring a collaborative approach by the 3 organisations to determine Specification priorities. Despite the delay caused by this lack of in-put the Council did carry out a stakeholder engagement exercise so it would be poised to complete a fully informed specification once the ICB and the PCNs confirmed their positions and requirements for the future service. The delay in obtaining a revised specification created the need to enter a short-term extension to allow a procurement process using the Open Procedure (Light Touch Regime). To try to obtain a new provider for 6 months would cause the Council significant cost and would not be practical due to the nature of the services provided.