Regional Mental Health Act Approval Panels

The Department of Health (DH) helps people to live better for longer. We lead, shape and fund health and care in England, making sure people have the support, care and treatment they need, with the compassion, respect and dignity they deserve. DH is a ministerial department, supported by 28 agencies and public bodies. This is notification that the Department is running an Ojeu Open Procurement for the services described. – (for which see ITT ref number 60252). Interested suppliers need to register on the BMS system if they have not done so already. Details of registration can be found on the attached document and link provided. Requirement summary - Under section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 (“the MHA”) the Secretary of State for Health approves, for the purposes of that section, registered medical practitioners who have "special experience in the diagnosis or treatment of mental disorder”(“s12 doctors”). Additionally, under section 145(1) of the MHA, the Secretary of State is to approve persons to act as “an approved clinician for the purposes of the Act” (“Approved Clinicians”). These functions are collectively referred to as ‘the Approval functions’. The Approval functions have been vested in the Secretary of State since the enactment of the MHA, but had been delegated by virtue of regulations made under the National Health Service Act 1977 and directions issued under the National Health Service Act 2006, most recently to Strategic Health Authorities (“SHAs”). SHAs ceased to exist when the relevant provisions in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 came into force. The Department of Health became responsible for the Approval functions. Following a review and a procurement exercise the Secretary of State contracted with four approving bodies. These contracts are due to terminate on 31st March 2017. The requirement is for new contracts for the provision of Approval functions, the contract periods are expected to be for two years in length each, with an optional extension of a further 12 months. The proposed Contracts will cover four regions as described in the documentation; being Lot 1, Panel one - North of England. Lot 2, Panel Two - Midlands and East. Lot 3, Panel Three - London. Lot 4, Panel Four - South of England. Refer to the attached procurement documentation for details of the services required. The estimated value given includes the optional 12 month extension period. The current expectation is that TUPE will apply and given that the staff expected to be in scope to transfer participate in the NHSPS it is expected that New Fair Deal will apply. DH reserves the right to not proceed to Contract for this requirement.