Agenda item

To seek approval to undertake a procurement exercise for the provision of Sexual Health services in North Tyneside.

Cabinet considered a report which sought approval to undertake a procurement exercise for Integrated Sexual Health Services in North Tyneside.

North Tyneside Council had a statutory duty to improve the health of the population and to provide local public health services, including the provision of comprehensive open access sexual health services.

The current contract for the open access sexual health service in North Tyneside was held by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and was due to expire on 31 March 2021.  In line with the Authority’s Procurement Strategy consideration must be given to whether any part of the service could be directly delivered by the Authority.  There was no evidence of any local authority in England in-sourcing a sexual health service.  This was likely to be due to the highly specialist and clinical nature of the service.

The procurement would be guided by a detailed phased project plan.  A brief outline of the plan was set out in the report.

A Procurement Steering Group would be convened with representatives from the Authority, Clinical Commissioning Group and National Health Service England to enable a whole system review of sexual health services for residents in North Tyneside and to facilitate more collaborative approaches to commissioning.

A detailed Needs Assessment was currently being carried out.  It was anticipated that this would be concluded by December 2019 and would form the basis of a comprehensive consultation exercise planned for January – March 2020. 

Cabinet considered the following decision options: either to agree the recommendations as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report, or alternatively to disagree with the proposals.

Resolved that the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Head of Health, Education, Care and Safeguarding, Head of Commissioning and Asset Management, Head of Resources, Head of Law and Governance and the Cabinet Members for Public Health and Wellbeing and Finance and Resources, be authorised to:

(a)       undertake a procurement exercise for Sexual Health Services in North Tyneside to identify a provider(s); and

(b)       appoint and award following the procurement exercise, a contract for the provision of a Sexual Health Service across the borough for an initial contract period of 36 months, with an option to extend for a further two 12 months periods.

(Reasons for decision: in order to continue to provide and improve a model of integrated sexual health services that is based on expressed local need and evidence of effectiveness, also ensuring best value for the Authority. 

Local Authorities have a duty to reduce health inequalities and improve the health of their local population, including the provision of open access sexual health services. If approved, the Authority will be able to commence a procurement exercise to appoint a replacement provider when the current contract expires on 31 March 2020, allow for a comprehensive consultation exercise to be carried out and provide a sufficient transition period.  This length of contract is designed to encourage interest from a wide range of organisations and to provide financial sustainability to the successful provider who will be expected to act as a strategic lead for sexual health services in the Borough.

If the preferred option is not approved, the Authority will be unable to undertake the proposed procurement exercise and will be unable to meet its obligations under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.)