Integrated Urgent Care - 111/OOH Services - MID & SOUTH ESSEX CCGs

The mid and south Essex Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) for this procurement (NHS Basildon & Brentwood, NHS Castle Point & Rochford, NHS Mid Essex, NHS Southend and NHS Thurrock CCGs) are committed to the provision of a high-quality 24/7 Integrated Urgent Care (IUC) service, delivering effective and efficient care for their population. The IUC service will provide a single entry point for patients with an urgent care need (with the exception of in hours primary care) – through NHS 111 – with secondary assessment, advice, signposting and referral via the clinical hub 24/7, and delivery of urgent primary care during out of hours periods. The service will be a key component of urgent and emergency care provision across the CCG localities, spanning across the Mid and South Essex Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) footprint. The service will be able to access a system of integrated care services where organisations collaborate to deliver seamless, patient focused care. The vision for the Commissioner is to achieve an optimal model of urgent care for the population. The Integrated Urgent Care (IUC) service (the ‘Service’) will be a lynchpin of achieving this vision, working as an integral part of the local health and social care economy. The Service will be provided in accordance with the national Integrated Urgent Care commissioning standards, Transforming Urgent and Emergency Care, UEC Network Routemap and CQC standards, which should be read in conjunction with the service specification.

The service will provide easy access to urgent health advice and care for patients when: • They need medical help fast, but it is not a 999 emergency; • They do not know whom to contact for medical help; • They think they need to go to A&E or another NHS urgent care service; • They need to make an appointment with an urgent care service; • They require health information or reassurance about how to care for themselves or what to do next. The Integrated Urgent Care Service should not be limited to treating patients, but must also be committed to empowering the population to self-care where appropriate with a focus on education and lifestyle modification. The new provider will need to plan for online and digital provision in the future in order to make it easier for the public to access urgent health advice and care. This will increasingly be in a way that offers a personalised and convenient service that is responsive to people’s health care needs.

The Contracting Authority may extend the contract for a further 24 months following the initial 60 month period.