1:1 Soft Market Testing for Custodial Healthcare and Forensic Services

Staffordshire, West Midlands, West Mercia and Warwickshire Police Forces would like to notify all potential providers about a ‘forthcoming Market Engagement Event’ as part of a wider Soft Market Testing exercise, following on from an initial event that took place on 12 August 2016. The purpose of the event will be to discuss further with providers on an individual basis the Police Forces high-level plans and strategy for Custodial Healthcare and Forensic Services. The four Police Forces are keen to hear from prospective provider’s thoughts and ideas on the potential service models. To this end prospective providers are requested to participate in a Request for Information (RFI) exercise. Upon the receipt of this information, the Police Forces will evaluate the responses, and prospective bidders will be shortlisted to partake in a 1 to 1 Market engagement event will take place on 7th & 8th September 2016, venue to be confirmed. Overview of Service Requirements: Staffordshire, West Midlands, Warwickshire and West Mercia Police Forces, supported by NHS England, are currently in the process of establishing requirements for the future provision of Police Custodial Healthcare and Forensic Services in the Staffordshire, West Midlands, Warwickshire and West Mercia Policing Areas ahead of the planned re-tendering of services in 2016/17. The Police Forces are responsible for planning and specifying the services to be delivered and for commissioning services from suitable healthcare providers, managing the delivery of services to national Police and NHS standards. The services currently provided include forensic medical, nursing and administrative services into custody and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC) in each Police area. A number of discreet service elements are currently included within the contracts, including but not limited to; • Healthcare and forensic medical services for detained persons in custody • The taking of blood samples in hospital • Forensic examination input into SARCs It is the intention that the new procurement will be for Custody Healthcare and Forensic Medical Services only, therefore the provision of forensic services to the SARC will not be part of the future custody healthcare contract. It is considered that the existing service arrangements are unlikely to effectively meet future demands. The Commissioners are therefore seeking to modify the current contracting model and to identify a solution that will be better equipped to meet future requirements and would like healthcare providers to provide feedback on potential: • Service Models • Exclusion of SARC (healthcare and forensic services to custody only) • Lotting Strategies • Pricing Mechanisms