Agenda item

(Report of the Director of Public Health. To be introduced by Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services). The report seeks approval to waiver the requirement for tendering under Contract Standing Orders (CSO) and the award of two contracts for public health services.

Exempt information pertaining to the report is set out under Item 22 below.

Cabinet considered a report, introduced by the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services, which sought approval to waiver the requirement for tendering, as set out under Contract Standing Orders, and to award two contracts to Whittington Health NHS Trust for public health services.

Exempt information pertaining to the report was considered under Item 22.

RESOLVED:

1. That approval be given to waiver, under CSO 10.01.1(a) and 10.01.2, of the requirement for tendering in CSO 9.01, of a new contract for the following services:  school nursing, dental health promotion, the Family Nurse Partnership programme and the Parent and Infant Psychology Service.
2. That approval be given to an award of contract to Whittington Health NHS Trust of the contract, referred to in paragraph 3.1 of the report, for the two years 2014/15 and 2015/16, in an amount of £2,110,000 over two years.
3. That approval be given to the waiver, under CSO 10.01.1(a) and 10.01.2’, of the requirement for tendering in CSO 9.01 of a new contract for sexual health services.
4. That approval be given to the award to Whittington Health NHS Trust of the contract, referred to in paragraph 3.3 of the report, for the year 2014/15 for an amount falling in the range set out in Table 2 in the exempt report.
5. That approval be delegated to the Director of Public Health, acting in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services, authority for finalisation of the contract price in the range set out in Table 2 in the exempt report, as noted in 3.4.

Alternative options considered

The services recommended for award in paragraph 3 of this report only became the Council’s responsibility a year ago. Since then Public Health has concentrated on improving the scope of the school nursing service, the dental health promotion programme, the family nurse partnership programme, and the parent and infant psychology service, in order to strengthen the focus on prevention and early intervention. This approach should enable the services to develop more effectively, in an emerging market, and enable Public Health to go out to a more mature market with a tested product in 18 months time. Given that the market for these services is underdeveloped, no alternative options were considered at this time, for the reasons set out above.

Similarly for sexual health, no alternative options were considered at this time as the market for integrated sexual health services is currently in a period of transition, across London and the rest of England. Public Health undertook a rigorous review of existing sexual health services in Haringey in the autumn of 2013, which by working closely with existing local providers, has enabled us to gain a better understanding of what is currently provided, and what is required. By adopting a strategic approach, Public Health has been able to begin the process of re-shaping delivery in the community, with the aim of commissioning more prevention focused sexual health services starting in 2014-15. The findings from this initial ‘step-change’ in the commissioning and delivery of integrated sexual health services in Haringey, will inform the development of the planned tender process later this year.

Reasons for decision

The proposed contracts focus on a number of services that will contribute to the Council’s priorities.