WP3267-Provision of Mortuary facilities and Pathology services for Walsall and Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

Walsall Council in collaboration with Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council are seeking bids from parties suitably experienced, qualified and resourced to provide post mortem services including the coronial post mortem work and management of bodies and storage viewing provision around the hospital function, relating to deaths occurring in Walsall Borough and Sandwell Borough. A significant factor should be to serve the needs of bereaved relatives by ensuring a fast turnaround time to allow for registration of death and progression of funeral arrangements especially where cultural and or religious requirements are involved. The service delivery will require an on-call service for the release of bodies following referral to the coroner to support the enhanced burial service provided by Walsall Council and Sandwell Council with a minimal secretarial support to provide receipt of communications from coroners officers or staff, data entry, recording of medical examination dates, if it comes into force, in consultants diaries, searching for hospital notes and collating of information as required for medical examination where necessary. In the case of Walsall Council; it is intended that the provision of these services will commence on 1 April 2017 and remain in place for a period of three years with the option to extend service provision for a further twelve month period. The optional extension is not guaranteed. In the case of Sandwell Council; it is intended that the provision of these services will commence on 1 May 2017 and remain in place for a period of 35 months with the option to extend service provision for a further twelve month period to co-terminate with Walsall Council’s contract. The optional extension is not guaranteed. Due to the nature of this contract the provider will need to have suitable facilities in the Black Country region; the Black Country is made up of the following boroughs: Walsall, Sandwell, Dudley and the city of Wolverhampton. a site visit will be carried out to inspect the facilities The tender for the provision of Mortuary Services is divided into two lots and the Participating Councils are seeking to appoint a single provider for each or both lots. The successful suppliers will be invited to enter into an individual contract with Walsall Council and Sandwell Council on a direct award basis. Service Providers are invited to tender for one or both lots.