Suffolk Individual Placement and Support for Severe Mental Illness (IPS SMI)

Description

Service to deliver an individual placement and support employment service for people with severe mental ill health, whether based in secondary mental health teams or primary care in Suffolk. Lot 1: This notice is to inform providers of the release of documentation to initiate a competitive process to secure a Provider to deliver Individual Placement Support for Severe Mental Illness. We are looking for an employment specialist will work in close collaboration with clinical staff in Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) who are currently in the process of developing a Service Operating Plan on what the Trust consider patients with severe mental ill health. They will also work with employers locally, regionally and nationally to seek employment opportunities for individuals and with any individuals who express an interest in employment to achieve an employment outcome. IPS has been identified by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and NHS England, working in partnership with IPS Grow, as a key evidence-based intervention to tackle unemployment among people experiencing severe mental ill health. IPS is a replicable, quality-assured supported employment model that consistently delivers significantly improved employment outcomes, alongside wider benefits to health, wellbeing and recovery, when compared with traditional vocational or training-only approaches. Providers delivering IPS must therefore demonstrate a clear commitment to IPS fidelity and quality. This includes active participation in both internal and external quality assurance processes, ensuring delivery aligns with national IPS standards and contributes to improved outcomes for service users. The contract will commence on 1st October 2026 and expire 31st March 2030 and will have the the option to extend for up to a total additional 24 months. Further detail of the services required within this practice are outlined within the procurement documentation. To express interest and participate in the Competitive Process, please register and apply via Atamis e-sourcing portal https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome It is free to register on the Atamis portal and it can be accessed at any time of day providing you have a working internet connection. Should providers have any queries, or are having problems registering on the portal; they should contact the Atamis helpdesk via: Support-health@Atamis.co.uk or phone number 0800 9956035. The helpdesk is open Monday - Friday between 08:00 - 18:00 The deadline for submissions is 12:00 (noon) 24th April 2026. If you have any questions, please send them through the message centre on the Atamis e-procurement portal. This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Contract Notice. The awarding of this contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. Responses must be submitted through the Atamis e-Procurement Portal on the link provided in this notice prior to the stated deadline. Additional information: The Authority may wish to introduce additional services during the lifetime of the contract ("Contract modifications"). Such contract modifications will be contemplated where additional requirements are similar and or complementary to the services already included in the contract, at any given time. Such expansion would be by the addition of services commissioned by the Authority as named in the Contract Notice. To this end, the Bidder should be aware that after the award of contract, there is a possibility that the successful Bidder may be offered a variation to the contract in accordance with the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023.