Adoption and Fostering Medical Advisory Service

Tender description

This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Prior Information Notice. The contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act do not apply to this procurement process. Hull City Council is looking to award a contract under the competitive process, for the provision of Adoption and Fostering Medical Advisory Service. The contract is anticipated to commence 1st January 2027 ending by 31st December 2030. The Authority has estimated the value of the services to be £180,000. This contract has not yet formally been awarded; this notice serves as a prior information notice under the Provider Selection Regime. Lot 1: The Aims of the service are to provide specialist medical advice to support the safe, effective and lawful assessment of prospective foster carers, adopters and special guardians. The service aims to: - Evaluate medical information about prospective adopters, foster carers and special guardianship applicants and give a view to the adoption and fostering assessment services about applicants' health needs that will inform the decision about their suitability as adopters or foster carers. - Ensure that all medical assessments for prospective carers are reviewed with appropriate clinical expertise. - Provide clear, balanced and child‑centred advice that enables effective decision‑making by social workers, managers, and adoption/fostering panels, working closely with named and designated looked after children professionals, GPs, local authority children's services, One Adoption and NHS England. - Support the matching process by assessing the compatibility of prospective carers' health with the needs of individual children, including those with disabilities, trauma histories or complex chronic health conditions. - Develop and maintain high standards of medical reporting through GP training, professional feedback and quality assurance processes. - Provide early consultation where medical issues may impact suitability or require specialist medical interpretation. - Strengthen interagency working across health, education and social care sectors to improve outcomes for children looked after. - Support Hull's sufficiency strategy by ensuring medical assessments do not become a barrier to timely carer approval or matching.