Minutes:
The Board considered a report of the
Director of Public Health, that sought approval to proceed with a procurement
process to grant a direct award to Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation
Trust (Axess) for the delivery
of the Integrated Sexual Health Service (ISHS).
Reason(s) for Decision
The Health
and Social Care Act 2012 sets out a local
authority’s statutory responsibility for commissioning the Integrated Sexual
Health Service.
The Health and Care Act 2022 introduced a
new procurement regime for selecting providers of healthcare services in
England: The Provider Selection Regime (PSR).
Therefore, Public Health wish to use this
procurement route to award a new contract via PSR Direct Award Process C to the
current provider Axess. The contract will be jointly commissioned with
Warrington the lead commissioning authority.
The justification to use PSR Direct Award
Process C to direct award to Axess is noted below:
• The existing provider is satisfying the existing contract and is likely to satisfy the new contract and the proposed new contracting arrangements
• This will minimise the impact on local families, staff and the wider health and social care economy
• This will ensure continuity of service
• This will reduce bureaucracy and cost associated with a tender exercise
• This
will ensure a flexible and proportionate process for selecting providers of
health care services, so that all decisions are made in the best interest of
people who use the services.
The Public Health
can legally and without prejudice, use the PSR route should it be passed at
executive board level. The Public Health Department have sought guidance and
direction from both the Legal Department and the Procurement Department.
Alternative Options Considered and Rejected
The alternative option is to undertake a full competitive tender exercise. This was rejected for the reasons mentioned in section 10. The report recommendation will strengthen and stabilise the current system, especially the Family Hub, Women’s Hub, other neighbourhood models and the transformation model. It will also strengthen the existing Partnership and collaborative working streams.
Implemented Date
It was intended that the process to provide a direct award would be undertaken following the Executive Board approval, with the new contract to begin on 1 October 2025.
RESOLVED: That the Executive Board:
1)
note compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.3.5 – Preliminary
Estimates Report, Contracts exceeding £5,000,000 in Value;
2)
note
compliance with Procurement Standing Order 1.4.2(iii) - Joint or Partnering
Arrangements with another body or bodies and, under that arrangement another
body is the commissioning body, the Standing Orders of that other body shall
apply to contracts entered into under the arrangement subject to the prior
approval of the Director and Monitoring Officer (Legal and Democratic
Services). Warrington Borough Council’s
Standing Orders will be applicable as the lead commissioning authority;
3)
note
the Local Authority’s statutory responsibility for commissioning public health
services for the specialist integrated sexual health services (ISHSs).
Including testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the
provision of HIV PrEP and provision of the full
range of contraception. (Health and Social Care Act 2012);
4)
approves
the use of the new procurement regime for selecting providers
of healthcare services in England: The Provider Selection Regime
(PSR), Direct Award Process C, to Axess;
5)
approval
to proceed with a procurement process to grant a
direct award to Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Axess) for
the delivery of the Integrated Sexual Health Service (ISHS) period 1st October
2026 to 30th September 2031, with the option of 2 x
plus 1-year, pre-determined extension periods up to 30th September 2033. This
contract is jointly commissioned with Warrington Borough Council, who will be
the lead commissioning authority; and
6)
note
the content of the report.