Issue - meetings

The Board considered a report of the Director of Public Health, which sought approval for a direct contract for the delivery of Health Visiting and Family Nurse Partnership Services between April 2017 and August 2017.

The Board was advised that Bridgewater Community Health NHS Foundation Trust had held a contract with Halton Borough Council since it was novated over from NHS England in October 2015. The current contract delivered the Health Visiting Service and the Family Nurse Partnership Programme, which was due to expire in March 2017, and did not have an allowance for any extension.

It was proposed that the current provider be given a direct award of a contract for five months from 1 April 2017 to 31 August 2017. This would provide the opportunity to support meaningful consultation on the development of a new service specification, and to ensure continuity of service for local people during the proposed extension period.

Reason(s) for Decision

As the value of the proposed contract would exceed the EU threshold for services of this type, Executive Board approval was sought to publish the Direct Award of a contract to 31 August 2017 to be given to the current provider, using a ‘Voluntary Ex-Ante Transparency Notice’ (VEAT) through which the contracting authorities must give sufficient information as to the justification for direct award of a contract without OJEU advertising and observe a minimum 10 day standstill period before the contract was awarded.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

The procurement of a Health Visiting / Family Nurse Partnership in isolation had been rejected as it would not enable the development of an innovative, integrated and efficient service to meet the needs of children, young people and their families.

Implementation Date

It was intended that the process to provide a direct award would be undertaken following Executive Board approval with the new contract to commence in April 2017 for a period of five months.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the contents of the report be noted; and

2)    the recommendation to grant a Direct Award to Bridgewater Community Health NHS Foundation Trust for the delivery of Health  Visiting and Family Nurse Partnership Services from 1 April 2017 to 31 August 2017, be supported.