Support for Children & Young People (CYP) in crisis within a hospital or community setting that may require Tier 4

There is currently a gap in services to support children and young people (CYP) in a tier 3 to 3.5 service within community mental health settings within Suffolk. The gap in services has meant the community teams' are overwhelmed, negatively impacting on their ability to respond, and leading to high numbers of CYP tier 4 admissions, often out of area. The impact of a Tier 4 admission on a child, young person and their family is felt through isolation from social and family settings, educational outcome impact and the potential of pathologising their condition and affecting their long-term recovery ability, which ultimately impacts on their life chances and success of achieving their potential.

CYP are also increasingly presenting within acute hospital emergency departments and they are often already under the care of a community team which signals that their MH issues are escalating due to a lack of timely and appropriate interventions to prevent crisis and potential admission. These children are often admitted to acute paediatric or adult wards during a period of crisis, delaying the child's mental health response and placing additional demand on acute services. These environments are often inappropriate for a child, young person and their family with the types of presenting problems they are experiencing, but this has become the default position due to our lack of service provision in Suffolk during these times of highest need.

When a young person presents in crisis, the relevant clinician's will provide a pen portrait for each person which will explain their expected needs. Providers will be expected to review this a supply a potential offer of support that will be reviewed and agreed by the relevant MDT group. This will be formalised by a zero-value cost and volume agree.

The ICB requires Providers to deliver support for CYP in crisis within a hospital or community setting that may require Tier 4 admission or social care placement. • Delivery of support at the location of the young person; this could be within an acute hospital setting or another community setting. • There will be a requirement to deliver support/intervention within 24 hours' notice. • The ability to cover 24/7 support if needed, this will not be for all cases as the package of care will be different for each young person. • To work alongside new MH specialist posts within the hospitals to agree appropriate support needed for CYP and family or placement provider and other key leads in the support of the CYP in crisis. • To support cross organisation working in order to support CYP and their needs.

To express an Interest and access the documentation to submit a Request for Proposal (titled Support for Children & Young People in crisis within a hospital or community setting that may require Tier 4) by the stated deadline, please visit: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/westsuffolkcommissioning/aspx/Home

Additional information: Please note that the services and associated specification and prices commissioned within this contract may be subject to review and change, moving forward the Commissioners may further review the above mentioned services in conjunction with the selected providers; therefore, the scope of the possible changes to be made to this contract shall relate to the outcomes of any continuous improvement, through a variation to the contract in accordance with Regulation 72 (1) (a) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Please see the procurement documentation for further information.

Additionally, the contract may also be amended in terms of the original services supplied or the localities covered, where, following assessment it is identified that it is logical for additional localities or services to be delivered in conjunction with this contract and / or by the provider(s), both in terms of actual service delivery and to avoid duplication of costs. These services may include but are not limited to other services and specialties formally delivered in alternative care settings where it is foreseen that these services can be delivered more effectively as part of this contract

The services to which this procurement relates fall within Schedule 3 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the "Regulations"). As such, the procurement of the services is being run as a process akin to the procedure mentioned above, as outlined within the suite of procurement documents. The Contracting Authority does not intend to hold itself bound by any of the regulations, save those applicable to Schedule 3 Services.