East Kent Strategy Board Communications and Engagement Service

The East Kent Strategy Board was established to oversee the development of health and social care services across the East Kent region, this presents significant change which will require public consultation before the end of the calendar year. Across east Kent, the four Clinical Commissioning Groups have been working with partners to develop the future state of health and social care to meet the current and future needs of the local population. New ways of delivering care, through different organisational models, are being explored. As part of the development of the Programme, the EKSB has agreed that there is a need to seek the strategic and tactical elements for the communications and engagement of the programme from external experts that have experience of delivering large-scale change, whilst retaining the operational elements of delivery within an in-house team

In engaging an external supplier to support the EKSB Programme we are seeking to achieve the following objectives 1. To ensure effective, meaningful and timely communication and engagement that ensures that key stakeholders, staff, service providers and the public are aware of the intention, scale, scope and timing of the EKSB programme 2. To support clinical leaders and commissioners in their conversations with staff, key stakeholders and the public about the work of EKSB programme 3. To encourage shared ownership of proposals for change 4. To build greater capability at locality level to support local residents, carers and patients to be involved in the co-design and monitoring of services that meet local need 5. To support wider public understanding about core health and care issues in East Kent encouraging open and informed public debate and involvement 6. To provide evidence of public aspirations for health and care services that will help commissioners and service providers to develop future services appropriate to local need 7. To ensure that all partner organisations involved in EKSB Programme meet their statutory duties to consult and that their organisational reputations are enhanced and protected

Additional information: Neither the Commissioner nor potential providers will be obligated to further commitment as a result of any initial expressions of interest. The Commissioner shall not be committed to any course of action as a result of issuing this advert or any invitation to participate or to submit a Bid Response in respect of this Procurement. The Commissioner shall not be bound to accept any Bid and reserves the right not to conclude a Contract for some or all of the Service(s) for which Bids are invited with one or more Bidders. The Commissioner reserves the right to amend, add to or withdraw all or any part of this Procurement at any time during the process.