NHS Talking Therapies and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems Services for NHS Essex ICB

Tender description

This is a Contract Award Notice (Intention to Award) communicating NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board 's intention to award a public contract for provision of this 'NHS Talking Therapies (NHS TT) and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems (PT SMHP) services (the Service). The process will be conducted in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. The proposed contract term is from 01st April 2027 – 31st March 2030, with the option to extend for a maximum of 24 months, until 31st March 2032. Lot 1: The Authority has undertaken a competitive process under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (the Regulations) and intends to award the Proposed Contract for a new NHS Talking Therapies (NHS TT) and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems (PT SMHP) services (the Service) to the Preferred Bidder identified through the process, Vita Health Group. Approximate lifetime value of the contract: At the point of publication of the PIN, the Authority proposed that the aggregate contract value is £94,118,443 pound sterling for the 3-year contract term (01st April 2027 – 31st March 2030). The financial envelope which acted as an affordability cap for the purposes of the procurement was based on the initial 3-year contract term. The maximum total contract value over the 5-year period (where optional extension provision is enacted) is £156,223,810 pound sterling. The Proposed Contract for the first three years has been awarded at £93,177,260. The Proposed Contract to be entered into by the Authority and the Preferred Bidder will be based on the NHS Standard Contract 2026/27 (full-length) and all subsequent variations thereof from time to time during the contract term. Services: NHS Talking Therapies (formally known as IAPT): The new service will provide a single integrated NHS Talking Therapies which should be accessible, person-centred, and integrated within the wider health system. This will support improvement in service provision, reduce health inequalities, improve patient experience, communication and waiting times for patients. Flexible provider, Partnership working, consistent service delivery across Essex. The aims of the delivery of the Service include: Improve Mental Health & Wellbeing, Ensure Equitable Access, Support Early Intervention & Prevention, Promote Patient Choice & Personalisation, Enhance Recovery & Long-Term Resilience, Integrate with Wider Health & Social Care Services, Deliver NICE-approved, evidence-based psychological therapies for people with depression and anxiety disorders using an integrated but stepped approach to care, appropriate to the needs of those people accessing the service. The new PT-SMHP service will ensure that individuals with severe mental health conditions receive timely, effective, and person-centred psychological interventions. By focusing on accessibility, integration, and recovery, the service can enhance quality of life, support long-term stability, and reduce demand on crisis and inpatient care. Flexible provider, Partnership working, consistent service delivery across Essex. To provide better quality care and improved outcomes through the delivery of NICE-recommended psychological therapies for people with severe mental health problems; to increase and ensure timely access to evidence-based psychological therapies, as recommended by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), in order to improve outcomes for people with a diagnosis of psychosis, complex emotional needs/‘personality disorder’, bipolar disorder or eating disorder; to promote recovery, stability, and independence - Support patients in developing coping mechanisms, resilience, and skills for independent living and self-management of their condition. Additional information: 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 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 do not apply to this award. See Additional information VI.3