Primary Care Escalation Framework 21.836

On behalf of NHS Brighton & Hove Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group, and NHS East Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group

Further to the previous publication of a voluntary ex ante transparency notice (on the Find a Tender Service - 2021/S 000-032261 and on Contracts Finder), and completion of the 10 day standstill period (that concluded on 4th January 2022), NHS Brighton & Hove Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group, and NHS East Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group (the Sussex CCGs) have awarded a contract for a period of 14 months and 3 weeks to Care Unbound Ltd t/a HERE for the provision of a Primary Care Escalation Framework (PCEF) Service commencing on 10th January 2022. The Sussex CCGs reserve the right to extend the contract by up to a further 12 months. The PCEF is a programme of work the CCG has commissioned through a collaboration of Improved Access Service (IAS) providers who the CCG consider to be best placed to roll out the PCEF rapidly, at scale to respond to the on-going and escalating requirements from primary care of the Covid 19 pandemic and winter pressures while ensuring the stability of general practice in Sussex. The PCEF is a framework to demonstrate live resilience of primary care services at practice, primary care network, place, and system level to then coordinate an appropriate and timely response.

The Primary Care Escalation Framework (PCEF) will dovetail with wider ICS winter escalation framework which in turn is based on the NHS England, Southeast framework, NHS England OPEL (Operational Pressures Escalation) Framework October-2018. The current OPEL framework has focussed more on the visibility of the demand and pressure in acute and community services. The PCEF aims to address this by introducing a parallel system within primary care to ensure visibility across the whole health and care system in Sussex.

In relation to the proposals for the implementation of the primary care escalation framework breaks down into three phases:

-Phase one - Data Survey Collection Survey initiation across all Sussex Practices - to establish resilience needs. Data warehouse, (incl helpdesk & technical support) & dashboard development.

-Phase two - Escalation Framework Liaison. Regional Liaison with Primary Care.

-Phase three - Resilience Response Design. Regional co-ordination and collation of resilience plans and emerging needs - including workshops to bring together regional learning and finalise re-design options appraisal.

This will be a prime provider contract delivered by Here who will then sub-contract with all Improved Access Services (IAS) in Sussex for the delivery of phases two and three of the programme, to utilise and build on existing relationships and geographical frameworks.

Additional information: The value stated includes the total potential amount in the event the contract was to be extended by the optional further 12 months

Please note: NHS England and Improvement have announced that the Sussex Health and Care Partnership, which is made up of all health and care organisations across East Sussex, West Sussex, and Brighton and Hove, has successfully met the criteria to become an Integrated Care System (ICS). An ICS is a way of working across health and care organisations that allows them to work closer together, to take collective responsibility of the health and wellbeing of populations across large areas. It is not anticipated that the statutory responsibility or accountability of the individual health and care organisations working as an ICS will be affected, save for the expectation that CCG organisations will be abolished and functions transferred to the ICS. As a result of these intended healthcare reforms, the Contracting Authority(s) currently NHS East Sussex CCG/NHS West Sussex CCG/NHS Brighton and Hove CCG, may change during the life of the contract.