Decision details

The Cabinet Member awarded an interim contract for the delivery of an Integrated Contraception and Sexual Health services (iCaSH) within Peterborough to Cambridgeshire Community Services (CCS) for a value of £1,167,524.25. This is in order to allow sufficient time for the transformational recommissioning of sexual and reproductive health services collaboratively between Cambridgeshire and Peterborough local authorities, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG and NHS England.

The contract will operate for the period of 1^st of July 2019 to 31^st March 2020.

Since 1st April 2013, local authorities have a statutory duty to commission most sexual health services as part of their wider public health responsibilities.

The current iCaSH contract was won by Cambridgeshire Community Services (CCS) via a competitive tender process. The original contract was awarded for a three year period Jul 2014- Jun 2017 with the option to extend for a further two years enacted in 2014/15 (CMDN ref Mar 14/CMDN/26), therefore exhausting extension provision in the current contract. The two year extension period is due to conclude on 30th June 2019, nine months sooner than the new provision will be in place.

The contract will be funded through Public Health budget

The Joint Commissioning Board considered and approved the proposed collaborative recommissioning approach and participation in the Public Health England pilot in May 2018.

Do not award an interim contract:

This option has been excluded primarily because it would result in a gap in contraceptive and sexual health provision. The LA is required to provide, or make arrangements to secure the provision of open access sexual health services in their area [Regulation 6, Part 2 of the Local Authorities (Public Health Functions and Entry to Premises by Local Healthwatch Representatives) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/351)].

Accelerate the commissioning process:

If the commissioning process is accelerated the key complexities and issues described in section 4 above would undermine a robust commissioning process and the odds of securing the best possible service. In addition to avoid some form of exemption or interim contract the CCC contract would have to end in June 2019 to align it with the PCC contract

Undertake a competitive tender for interim period:

This option has been discounted as timeframes for three reasons; firstly, competitive retendering within the short time frame would be very challenging, impacting upon the quality of the exercise and award result. Secondly, there is a distinct lack of other suitable providers in the market so the likelihood of a successful competitive tender exercise is low.

Time for market development is limited within the short time scales. Finally, multiple, short term procurements are discouraged due to the destabilising effect on service provision and staffing. ICaSH provision in Peterborough is acutely challenged by the lack of specialist nurses and any further losses would have a significant impact on the clinical capacity of any service model going forward.

None.

1. CMDN ref Mar 14/CMDN/26

2. CMDN ref Sep 15/CMDN/75

3. Local authorities’ public health responsibilities (England) Standard Note: SN06844, House of Commons Library, last updated March 2014