Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group - GP 999 Car

Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group ("the CCG") is seeking to recommission their GP 999 car provision.

The provision of the GP 999 car seeks to enable a higher level of support made available to patients that have a paramedic crew in attendance. Providers would be asked to work collaboratively with clinicians within the 999 hub identifying cases within the 999 call stack.

The service will offer home visits to patients, by a GP, and where possible avoid a conveyance to the Emergency Department. The GP can also offer telephone advice to paramedics on scene, with an aim to achieve the same objective and ensure the most appropriate care is provided to address the needs of the patient. The avoidance can be facilitated by (although is not limited to) on scene treatment of the patient, prescription of medications, or referral to another more appropriate service. This will release emergency ambulance crews to attend patients more promptly and reduce pressures on Emergency Departments.

The service is expected to support patients, where possible, in their own home, and reduce disruption for patients and their families associated with unrequired transfers to Hospital.

The GP 999 Vehicle Response Car will aim to support the wider health community by reducing conveyances to the local ED. More specifically: • to provide Primary Care support to Paramedics, Specialist Paramedics (SPs) and other Clinicians • to reduce ED admissions and promoting See and Treat • for those patients requiring admission, facilitate direct admissions where possible • to deliver Somerset CCGs vision of maximising the possibility of care closer to home The aim of the service is to cover the county of Somerset from at least two bases within the county.

This will be a faced paced service that enables GPs to engage in reactive work. It will require a more advanced skillset as GP's are required to make 'on the ground' decisions to ensure that patient outcomes are as positive as they can be within a given situation.

Activity levels seen within the contract for 19/20 were circa 2348 with cases ranging from 522 to 670 per quarter.

The contract is £689k per annum and will be for an initial term of 3 years, with an option to extend for any period up to a further 2 years; commencing in July 2022.

This procurement is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.

Interested providers will be able to view this notice via the 'current tenders' list on the e-procurement system In-Tend, available on the following link: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

Additional information: Interested providers will be able to view this notice via the 'current tenders' list on the e-procurement system In-Tend, available on the following link: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/scwcsu/aspx/Home

In order to submit a bid, you will need to be registered on the e-procurement system and 'express an interest', and then complete a response as specified within the procurement documents.

On registration, please include at least two contacts to allow for access to the system in times of absence.

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations but is instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).

The tendering process will be conducted in accordance with the requirements and flexibilities provided by Regulations 74 to 76. The Authority will run a transparent tender process, treating all Bidders equally. For the avoidance of doubt, the Authority will not be bound by the Regulations or any other legislation except for the specific parts or circumstances that apply to the procurement of these Services.

Neither the inclusion of a Bidder selection stage, nor the use of any language or terms found in the Regulations, nor the description of the procedure voluntarily adopted by the Authority ("Open", "Restricted", "Competitive Procedure with Negotiation", "Competitive Dialogue" or any other description), nor any other indication, shall be taken to mean that the Authority intends to hold itself bound by the Regulations, save by the provisions applicable to services coming within the scope of Schedule 3 of the Regulations.

The Contracting Authority intends to voluntarily observe the award decision notices provisions and 10 day standstill period described in Regulation 86 of the Regulations. Unsuccessful Bidders will receive scores and reasons for the decision, including the characteristics and relative advantages of the winning bid and the reasons why the Bidder/application was unsuccessful. Deadline for lodging of appeals should be in accordance with Regulation 87 and Regulation 91 of the Regulations.