NHS Talking Therapies Service - NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB

***Prior Information Notice Only.

***This advert is for Prior Information Only *** Separate advertisements will follow in relation to the Market Engagement and Procurement stages.

The commissioner has published this Prior Information Notice to notify the market of the future procurement opportunity for the Provision of NHS Talking Therapies Service in Norfolk and Waveney.

Service Description

The service shall provide community orientated, evidence-based psychological therapies to people in Norfolk and Waveney from the age of 16 year and over with 'common' mental health problems, such as low mood and anxiety-based needs. This model should be aligned to the NHS Talking Therapies Manual (2023) and support the Norfolk and Waveney Mental Health ambitions.

The service shall be flexible and responsive to the population needs and operate a bio-psycho-social model of care; taking an individual's needs into consideration to plan holistic and integrated interventions to improve their wellbeing. The service will work closely with local communities, providers and the Integrated Care System (ICS) to ensure this is implemented effectively with key partners that support 'wellbeing'. This shall include a tiered approach to support, employing warm handovers and single trusted assessments to other services which can support people's mental health and wider determinants of wellbeing - providing a strong model of engagement and support in the community.

The service will take a 'needs led' approach, such that people with needs that can be met by the service should be offered and engaged with it. Further to this, the service will proactively engage with population groups and communities where there are recognised risks, low rates of engagement or health inequalities. The service shall also offer opportunities for all who access the service to be involved in participation forums to facilitate coproduction and service user involvement with service improvement projects.

Indicative approach and Timeline

NHS Norfolk and Waveney intends to procure via a single stage open procurement process, advertised via the Find a Tender Service website.

This opportunity is anticipated to be published late September 2023, but please note this may be subject change at the Commissioners discretion.

The Commissioners intend to hold a market engagement meeting during July/August 2023. A formal advert will be placed to support the market engagement event and please note that you must register your interest separately for each of the above stages. We are unable to accept a request at this stage to attend a market engagement event or to receive tender documents.

The contract duration is expected to be 5 years with up to a 2-year extension option.

Please note that the anticipated timeline stated above is subject to amendment.