Market Testing - HIV support services (Camden & Islington)

1. Overview The Councils (Camden and Islington) are reviewing the HIV Support Services, which are currently commissioned by Camden and Islington Public Health.

A PIN was previously published on the London Tender Portal, on the 18th of January 2021 and closed on the 8th of February 2021.

Details of the service The HIV services are currently delivered by five (5) providers through four (4) separate contracts and grants which will come to an end on the 31st of March 2022. We aim to advertise this opportunity in June 2021.

These services aims to; • Encourage people who are HIV positive, to follow a personal exercise/activity programme in order to increase fitness, self-esteem and quality of life • Provide comprehensive 'whole person' support that impacts across the individual's physical, mental and emotional health and well-being, to help them better manage the direct and indirect effects of HIV on their day to day lives • To provide peer support, advice and means of engagement • To empower people living with HIV through information • To provide practical, emotional and intellectual support • To lessen the sense of isolation • To help eradicate irrational fears • To help people come to terms with diagnosis • To help people develop inner strengths and resources.

We would like to combine the strengths and opportunities of each service to create a network of peer support services which will form the basis of a pathway for service users from clinical settings to community based support.

This will include: face-to-face groups and workshops including groups for newly diagnosed service users; communal meals and get togethers for adults with HIV and children affected by HIV; face-to-face exercise programmes; face-to-face counselling; face-to-face one-to-one support with peer mentors.

2. Market testing The Council wishes to undertake soft market testing on the re-commissioning of these services, and therefore would welcome the views of providers on the questions set out below. Interested parties will not be prejudiced by any response or failure to respond to this soft market testing and a response to this notice does not guarantee any invitation to participate in any future public procurement process that the Council may conduct. This notice does not constitute a call for competition to procure any services for the Council and the Council is not bound to accept any proposals offered. The Council is not liable for any costs, fees or expenses incurred by any party participating in the soft market testing exercise. Any procurement of services by the Council in due course will be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Responses provided will not be treated as commercially confidential, unless expressed by the providing party, and may be used by the Council in the final service specifications used for the contracts, no organization will be individually identified.

Additional information: Following this market testing exercise Camden Council will consider options for developing the provision in question.

Please return your completed questionnaire by Friday 12.00pm (midday) 12th March 2021.

For any other queries or return of the questionnaire [email protected]