Health and social work services

Description

North of England Commissioning Support (NECS) is working for and on behalf of NHS South Tees CCG and NHS Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees CCG who wish to procure Direct Access Adult Hearing Services - Audiology Services. The service was commissioned using the Any Qualified Provider (AQP) process. In securing services under the AQP process, assurance of competence, quality and safety standards is required. Any provider will be eligible to join the qualified provider list subject to demonstrating competency against specified criteria. Qualified providers were expected to deliver the service under the NHS Standard Contract. As a qualified provider, there are no levels of guaranteed activity. Payment is made based on actual provision and outcomes. The opportunity was available in 2 Lots; providers could apply for 1 or both lots. Lot 1 Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees CCG and Lot 2 South Tees CCG. Providers need to deliver a comprehensive, patient-centred, direct access, adult hearing service for age-related hearing loss which is responsive to the needs of the local communities and in line with national guidance and local requirements. The service is to commence from 12 May 2018 for an expected duration of 12 months with an option to extend by a further 12 months at the discretion of the contracting authorities. The aims of the service are to provide a comprehensive service for adults experiencing hearing and communication difficulties who feel they might benefit from hearing assessment and rehabilitation including the option of trying hearing aids with aftercare and support, in line with the National Commissioning Framework, other national guidance and local requirements. The vision for people with hearing problems is for them to receive high quality, efficient services delivered closer to home, with short waiting times and high responsiveness to the needs of local communities, free at the point of access. Key principles of an integrated hearing service, within which the Adult Hearing Service operates, is to: — Improve public health and occupational health focus on hearing loss, — Reduce prevalence of avoidable permanent hearing loss, — Encourage early identification, diagnosis and management of hearing loss through improved service user and professional education, — Provide person-centred care, and respond to information and psychosocial needs, including for the effect on partners of living with poor hearing, — Support communication needs by providing timely signposting to lip reading classes and assistive technologies and other rehabilitation services, — Promote inclusion and participation of people who are deaf or hard of hearing, — Compliance with clinical guidance and good practice, — Improve the service through research and development and the adoption of new evidence-based technologies and practices. Under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 the contracting authority must consider: How what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees and how, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing the improvement. This will be tested via the response to the application. Providers need to deliver a comprehensive, patient-centred, direct access, adult hearing service for age-related hearing loss which is responsive to the needs of the local communities and in line with national guidance and local requirements. The service is to commence from 12 May 2018 for an expected duration of 12 months with an option to extend by a further 12 months at the discretion of the contracting authorities. The aims of the service are to provide a comprehensive service for adults experiencing hearing and communication difficulties who feel they might benefit from hearing assessment and rehabilitation including the option of trying hearing aids with aftercare and support, in line with the National Commissioning Framework, other national guidance and local requirements. The vision for people with hearing problems is for them to receive high quality, efficient services delivered closer to home, with short waiting times and high responsiveness to the needs of local communities, free at the point of access. Key principles of an integrated hearing service, within which the Adult Hearing Service operates, is to: — Improve public health and occupational health focus on hearing loss, — Reduce prevalence of avoidable permanent hearing loss, — Encourage early identification, diagnosis and management of hearing loss through improved service user and professional education, — Provide person-centred care, and respond to information and psychosocial needs, including for the effect on partners of living with poor hearing, — Support communication needs by providing timely signposting to lip reading classes and assistive technologies and other rehabilitation services, — Promote inclusion and participation of people who are deaf or hard of hearing, — Compliance with clinical guidance and good practice, — Improve the service through research and development and the adoption of new evidence-based technologies and practices. Under the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 the contracting authority must consider: How what is proposed to be procured might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of South Tees and how, in conducting the process of procurement, it might act with a view to securing the improvement. This will be tested via the response to the application.