UK Public Sector Contracts & Tenders

ISL have been providing this service since April 2022 when funding was made available form the ICB for Crisis Bed provision within the West Cheshire Footprint. There are plans to go out to tender of this service within this financial year. As this procurement exercise will take time there is a need to extend this contract the current contract so there is no break and we can maintain continuity of care for Patients. The Trust recommendation is that the contract with the provider is extended as all outcomes and contractual obligations are currently being met and achieved. The provider has established and is maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders and other providers of mental health care. This includes the Trust First Response teams such as Home Treatment Team, and Crisis Line who regularly refer patients to the service.

Koala North West are a local third sector charity organisation. Our partnership has directly improved the maintained Breastfeeding for families in Cheshire West and Chester due to Koala's management and delivery of a group of skilled volunteers who support infant feeding and early relationships. The evidence base (Best Start in Life 2022) shows us that early relationships build lifelong benefits both physically and emotionally. Koala's volunteer model in unique, and well respected in the area. Patient feedback in September 2025 highlighted the positive impact that Koala's groups, phone calls, and social media have delivered to our families when they need it under delegation with effective governance. The commissioner of Starting Well 0-19 services endorses the service level agreement between CWP and Koala recognising both the clinical benefits but also the social value - the opportunity for local people to volunteer, retrain, and support their communities. The cost of the agreement with Koala is the average cost of one specialist nurse a year, one nurse could not cover the same level of advice and guidance, group delivery and overall breastfeeding support on such scale. The specialist nurse time of those in post is more available for other targeted and specialist delivery that is not appropriate for skill mixed delivery due to the support of this partnership. As incumbent providers, Koala possess the necessary human and technical resources and experience to perform the contract to an appropriate quality standard.

Outdoor Sensory garden at Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Adult Eating Disorder Services - CO1/S/a-Specialised Eating Disorders

The Dementia Resource Community, on behalf of Age UK, have been commissioned since January 2021, to provide two memory assessment nurses, who work alongside the WMAS, to reduce the waiting list and waiting times for access to memory assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. The two nurses work at the first stage of the pathway which is the initial memory assessment phase before the referral is discussed at an MDT

People with a severe mental illness (SMI) face one of the greatest health equality gaps - life expectancy is 15-20 years shorter due to preventable physical illnesses. In 2022 when an organisation called Health Junction started, Wirral had a very low SMI annual physical health check completion rate of 13%. In March 2024 Wirral Place achieved 64% completion of SMI Physical health checks, exceeding the then national target of 60%. At this time there were 3326 people on the Wirral SMI register. Of these, 64% so 2152 people have now had an annual physical health check which is an excellent achievement for Wirral Place. April 2025 to March 2026 £140,000

Specialised Tier 4 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services; Specialist placement in line with 170022/S - General Adolescent Services including specialist eating disorder services.

The NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) championed the development of crisis cafes to offer an alternative approach in relation to supporting a self-defined mental health crisis that is not necessarily clinically assessed or defined. Through the provision of additional funding through the Long-Term Plan and capital investment available through 'Beyond Places of Safety' initiative the Trust alongside partners were able to develop Crisis cafes across the CWP footprint. The East Crisis Cafes are established within the East locality. They are a familiar resource for communities to access and are meeting the requirements of the contract in terms of agreed performance within the financial envelope. The service is open 7 days a week from 1pm to 10pm and provides a safe, welcoming and comfortable space away from a clinical environment for people in crisis, and those seeking to prevent the onset of a crisis. The team provide emotional support, practical advice, devise safety plans and offer signposting to patients. The cafe is viewed by professionals and public as a core part of the health and care service offer. A break in this service offer would be detrimental to the hundreds of patients who use this service every month. It is recommended this contract is extended until the competitive process is actioned by the end of this year. In parallel a competitive procurement exercise will begin. The cafe emphasises a person-centred approach, so care is tailored to the individual's specific needs and preferences. This approach ensures that the service provided is of high quality, and responsive to the person's unique circumstances. The Cafe offers a holistic model of care that addresses not just the immediate mental health crisis, but also other factors that may be contributing to the individual's distress, such as housing instability, financial stress, or relationship issues. By offering integrated support, the service goes beyond traditional mental health services, providing a more comprehensive and innovative approach to care. The cafe offers value to both individuals in crisis and the broader mental health care system. The service enhances core mental health services, promote community well being and help to alleviate pressure on overburdened healthcare systems. The provider has supported xx number of clients over the last financial year and has received many compliments from service users and other health professionals. Examples of value that the service offers includes: - Improving access to timely support (no waiting lists to access, providing a safe space. - Cost effectiveness: saves costs by reducing admissions, more cost-effective model vs traditional hospital based care pathways - Supports the prevention agenda Integration, collaboration and service sustainability: The Café promotes collaboration between different services, such as healthcare providers, local authorities, other community organisations, and emergency services. This is essential for a coordinated, effective response to mental health crises. The provider has been effective at developing these cross-partnership relationships to enable to the service to become an integrated offer as part of the CWP first response services. Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice: The Crisis Cafe offers extended hours (up to 10pm) including weekends, when traditional 'in person' mental health services are often closed. This increases accessibility during times of day when people may feel most vulnerable. The service provides a genuine alternative to emergency departments (EDs), thus reducing the pressure on hospitals and emergency services, but enabling some of our most vulnerable people to be supported. The cafe is informal, welcoming, and non-clinical which helps to reduce the stigma often associated with seeking mental health support. This is appealing to people who feel uncomfortable or intimidated by traditional mental health settings. The café provides person-centered care, focusing on the individual's needs and preferences. Trained staff work with clients to identify their immediate needs, whether that's someone to talk to, support with practical needs, or signposting to other services. The timely support can prevent crises from escalating and reduce the need for more intensive interventions like hospital admissions or psychiatric evaluations. Over time, this can lead to improved mental health outcomes for individuals. Unlike traditional, formal mental health services, crisis cafes provide a non-clinical, informal environment where individuals are not pressured into a structured treatment plan. People can choose how they wish to engage with the service, what they engage with e.g. peer support/mindfulness thus facilitating choice. Staff who deliver this service - live and work locally within the region. The service encourages people to get involved and share their experience to help others through a model of volunteers and peer support. There is not a high turnover of staff. 01/04/25 to 30/09/25 £144,144

Specialised Adult Eating Disorders inpatient beds (CO1/S/a-Specialised Eating Disorders) for both formal and informal patients (as defined by the Mental Health Act) across the North West of England.

The Team will contribute to: • Offer increased capacity to support inpatient Community Mental Health/Home Treatment Teams to improve ways to enable throughput of mental health inpatient stays back to community accommodation • Help to prepare people to leave inpatient facilities • Offer increased support for people leaving inpatient stays to receive holistic mental health support needed within their step-down community-based accommodation The Team will be dedicated resource, receiving daily workloads from within Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) set up by Cheshire and Wirral Partnership services to project manage the delivery of this emergency support. In addition to working with CWP's inpatient teams, the Team will work closely with other potential accommodation stakeholders to contribute to freeing-up accommodation at every level within the system. The Team will be home based staff supporting housing accommodation services. It will be holistic and delivered to a person-centred recovery focused approach. Non-clinical support that complements and enhances the support delivered by CWP's health clinical teams including CMHT/HTT staff. Based on individual needs, the Teams staff will deliver interventions shaped around a person's preferences and goals. All interventions have a strong focus on empowering the individual to take responsibility to manage their emotions. 13th June 2025 to 31st March 2026 £173,783

The Rapid Response capacity and resource deployment is co-ordinated centrally by Rapid Response Co-ordinators, based in the First Response Hub and overseen by the First Response Hub Co-ordinator and Patient Flow Manager. The service will provide safe, effective, and appropriate transport for people who have been assessed as requiring an admission to a mental health bed for all adult mental health patients within the CWP footprint. This will include transport from AED departments. This will include patients who have agreed to informal admission, patients who are recommended for detention under sections of the Mental Health Act (1983) (Section 2,3 and 4). Diagnosis will not exclude support from the service and transport will be mobilised following robust clinical risk assessment of individuals requiring the transport as documented Where a Section 2, Section 3, or Section 4 detention has been recommended (whether in the community or at AED), the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) is responsible for determining the level of conveyance required for the patient. This includes considering the number of staff needed to escort the transport and the appropriate vehicle for the patient's needs. The service has access to wheelchair-accessible vehicles as well as vehicles offering more secure options for patients in mental health crisis.

Due to the lack of existing workforce, it is proposed that support is secured from ISL, (Independence Support Ltd), who currently work within the Service to support both Conveyance of patients awaiting admission, and work within the community or residential placements. Delivering several aspects of a service gives the provider and the service flexibility. This is an extension of a service currently provided and gives a continuity of care for patients moving within the service. The Service is assured of standards and compliance by submission of reports and learning from any incidents. The service has been provided by ISL since February 2023, and there has been no substantial change to the nature or cost of the service delivered. The existing provider is satisfying the original contract and will likely satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard" with the weighting 100. Due Diligence has been carried out on the provider and provides financial capacity to perform the contract. The provider is regulated by CQC and completes electronic monitoring software to manage and track monthly, quarterly and 6 monthly audits. They are DSP accredited and hold a Cyber Essentials Certification.

The East Crisis Cafes are established within the East locality. They are a familiar resource for communities to access and are meeting the requirements of the contract in terms of agreed performance within the financial envelope. It has been agreed to extend the current contract until 31st March 2026 in order for a competitive procurement process to take place. Due to lack of resource in teams this was not achieved previously but the planning process has commenced in readiness for 1st April 2026.

The East Crisis Cafes are established within the East locality. They are a familiar resource for communities to access and are meeting the requirements of the contract in terms of agreed performance within the financial envelope. It has been agreed to extend the current contract until 31st March 2026 in order for a competitive procurement process to take place. Due to lack of resource in teams this was not achieved previously but the planning process has commenced in readiness for 1st April 2026.

This provider has historically provided services through our GM Contract. They are National organisation who are CQC registered and offer a range of health and social care services for patients with mental health needs. Cygnet meet the continuity of care principles which are important part of CWP ethos. Cygnet ensure the quality network for Mental Health Rehab works with the services to improve inpatient and community rehab wards. Good practice and high-quality care are recognised and services supported to address areas for improvement. They are located within the CWP footprint, which assists with the community teams having close proximity to patients. The KPIs of this organisation have always been met through the relationship within the contract and the wider contract with GM.

CWP intends to collaborate with Peacocks Medical Group to run shared clinics designed to address the backlog and manage ongoing referrals • Peacocks is a private limited company registered in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK established in 1956 with a long history in the healthcare sector, in the provision of orthotics • Peacocks Annual Report Year (end 2023) indicated growth with a 16% revenue increase year on year, driven by new contracts and increase supply • Peacocks deploys HCPC-registered clinicians providing evidence-based assessments integrated, with strong clinical governance, high patient satisfaction (>90%). • The fixed 12-week contract cost is £23,040 excluding VAT, equating to good value for money with a cost of £38.40 per patient. • Peacocks is an existing provider in Cheshire West • Peacocks has an existing Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust and is a provider within biomechanical pathway • Peacocks has established IT and clinical connections within the system. • Implementation will be expedited • A seamless transition for the patient from referral to treatment

The Rapid Response capacity and resource deployment is co-ordinated centrally by Rapid Response Co-ordinators, based in the First Response Hub and overseen by the First Response Hub Co-ordinator and Patient Flow Manager. The service will provide safe, effective, and appropriate transport for people who have been assessed as requiring an admission to a mental health bed for all adult mental health patients within the CWP footprint. This will include transport from AED departments. This will include patients who have agreed to informal admission, patients who are recommended for detention under sections of the Mental Health Act (1983) (Section 2,3 and 4). Diagnosis will not exclude support from the service and transport will be mobilised following robust clinical risk assessment of individuals requiring the transport as documented Where a Section 2, Section 3, or Section 4 detention has been recommended (whether in the community or at AED), the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) is responsible for determining the level of conveyance required for the patient. This includes considering the number of staff needed to escort the transport and the appropriate vehicle for the patient's needs. The service has access to wheelchair-accessible vehicles as well as vehicles offering more secure options for patients in mental health crisis.

Citizens Advice Wirral has provided advice to the borough for over 85 years. Over the past 25 years the organisation has provided support in partnership with health providers - over the past 8 years providing social prescribing services in partnership with GP surgeries, community health providers and secondary mental health services. Citizens Advice Wirral provides free, impartial, confidential advice and social prescribing service to help improve lives. The services provided by Citizens Advice Wirral improves client's mental health, improves their finances, results in better housing, prevents homelessness, reduces social isolation and helps people to feel more in control of their lives. Citizens Advice Wirral also provides bespoke services to specific groups who have more complex needs including people who are affected by addictions including drugs, alcohol and gambling, people who are perpetrators of victims of crime, people who are at end of life and people from specific group who need bespoke support such as people for whom English isn't their first language, people with a learning disability, people with low literacy and numeracy skills including low digital skills and older people. The experience gained through person-centred social prescribing service, information, advice and casework services commissioned by Wirral Borough Council and NHS providers including CWP, means they are well placed to deliver this service. They understood how to engage with disadvantaged communities, have the experience, knowledge and tools to provide specialist solutions to finance and practical issues and experience of dealing with clients who have or have been affected by mental health challenges. Citizens Advice Wirral has strong links to the local system including Wirral Council - including Housing Teams, NHS organisations - including GP Practices (via the commissioned social prescribing service) and other community/VCFSE partnerships. Citizens Advice Wirral is the only commissioned service providing this offer across the borough and CWP want to maintain that consistency and expertise of staff. Patients are aware of the referral process as are CWP staff.

There has been much improvement to the CWP biomechanical podiatry service waiting list with the collaboration with Peacocks and the previous waits of over 600 patients have significantly reduced. CWP wish to extend the coloration with Peacock as part of the biomechanical pathway to continue to run shared clinics designed to address the backlog and manage ongoing referrals. Peacocks is an existing provider in Cheshire West and has established IT and clinical connections within the system and has been working effectively as part of the CWP pathway.