Request for Tenders for the Provision of the Patient Advocacy Service on behalf of Department of Health

Description

The Minister for Health (the “Contracting Authority”) invites tenders (“Tenders”) to this request for tenders (“RFT”) from economic operators (“Tenderers”) for the provision of the services as described in Appendix 1 to this RFT (the ”Services”). In summary, the Services comprise: The Patient Advocacy Service (PAS) provides a free and independent national service to help service users making or intending to make a formal complaint, regarding the care they have received. PAS support complaints made through the Health Service Executive (HSE) "Your Service Your Say" process or other relevant complaints procedures. PAS also help those who have been involved in a patient safety incident as described in the HIQA / MHC National Standards for the Conduct of Review of Patient Safety Incidents. PAS was initially established for public acute hospital users, however since June 2021 the roll-out of its services to HSE operated nursing homes has begun. The next iteration of PAS will include expansion to private nursing homes and will explore expansion to the provision of advocacy in Mental Health Services, within the lifetime and cost of the contract. The intention of the service is to empower the service user to speak for themselves and feel confident and supported to voice their own concerns. PAS may help by providing the service user with information, enabling them to decide whether or not they wish to pursue a formal complaint or to understand what happened. PAS will not provide on-going advocacy for service users outside of the health-related complaints or patient safety incidents. The closing date for receipt of clarifications is: 12:00 Noon – Friday, 21st January 2022. Tenderers are advised to refer to the Request for Tender Document prior to submitting any requests for clarification. The Tender Response Date is: 12:00 Noon – Friday, 11th February 2022.