Prime Provider of Maternity Services

Supply maternity services which includes; antenatal, intrapartum and post-natal pathways. Services must include an offer of choice to women as to their preferred method and place of birth; including within the home, in an obstetric unit or within a midwifery led unit. Services are inclusive of diagnostics and should include the provision of laboratory facilities, ultrasound scans and blood gas monitoring. Services will promote the development of a continuity of carer model (named midwife) and seek to reduce obstetric unit births by 25% during the life of the contract. Service developments must be co-designed with local women. The prime provider model will seek to minimise barriers and improve flow within the health economy. It is expected that the Prime Provider will work collaboratively with other providers and develop sub-contracting arrangements, in order to promote choice of place and choice in delivery method. It is essential for the Prime Provider to ensure facilities or clear pathways are in place to provide high dependency care, which can include adult critical care beds, maternal care beds, special care baby unit and neonatal unit. The prime provider must also facilitate clear rehabilitation pathways which includes direct access to physiotherapy and also mental health pathways without the need for primary care intervention. Where the prime provider cannot evidence provision of these facilities and services; a contract or a model alliance agreement must be in place and provisionally agreed with partners prior to qualifying to bid. This procurement will follow the light touch regime for health services. As such will be conducted in two stages, expressions of interest with completion of a standard selection questionnaire and all those that then meet the minimum standards will then be invited to submit a tender. The contract is for 3 years with an option to extend up to a further 2 years. Contract values reflected below are for the full 5 year possible term. There were 2505 births registered in 2017/18 from women registered within the West Cheshire population.