NHS Leeds CCGs Partnership-Primary Care Streaming in Emergency Departments

Award of Contract through the negotiated procedure without prior publication •Extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable for the contracting authority and in accordance with the strict conditions stated in the directive

Explanation:

NHS England mandated in Mar '17 that primary care streaming must be in place in all Emergency Departments by 1.10.2017. These time-scales mean commissioners must award a contract without competition as it doesn't allow for a procurement and mobilisation to take place.

The mandate stipulates that local, experienced GPs are used to best meet the needs of the local population. In Leeds, an Alliance has formed between all Primary Care Providers (both in and out of hours) and Leeds Community Health NHS Trust. This Alliance is in a position to provide the service by 1.10.2017. The Alliance is made up of all local primary care partners which makes the contract available to all local providers and the commissioners feel that the Alliance reinforces the EU treaty principle of Equal treatment and non-discrimination and supports the need to directly award the contract.

The funding to pilot this service was established in Nov '16, was non-recurrent and was received directly by Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust (LTH), by-passing CCG commissioners. LTH selected 1 Medical Group to pilot the service. Only locum GPs could be provided therefore the pilot did not deliver value for money. The cost and configuration of the service was not sustainable nor fit for purpose. LTH confirmed they did not want to commission of the service post pilot phase.

All stakeholders were invited to a Provider Engagement event in June "17 which established various working and steering groups to ensure the model can be operational by this date. Primary care providers in Leeds fully support this work.

The NHSE mandate supports the national strategic direction of urgent care services in the move towards accountable care and the establishment of sustainable, evidence-based urgent care, including establishing Urgent Treatment Centres in all localities by Dec '19. In Leeds an Urgent Care Strategy outlines how this will occur over this period. Enabling the Alliance to provide elements of this new care model is of fundamental importance and this service is an important stage of this journey.

A short-term interim solution to deliver the required services on-time with the intention to formally tender for these services as part of the anticipated New Care Model as soon as is practical.

Additional information: The contract was let for a period of 18 months from 1 October 2017 on behalf of the three Leeds CCGs. During the term of the contract, it is anticipated the three CCGs will transition into the NHS Leeds CCGs Partnership.