KMMH, KCHFT, DGT - Freedom To Speak Up Services

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, acting as the Lead Contracting Authority on behalf of Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust and Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, invites suitably qualified and experienced Suppliers to submit tenders for the provision of Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) Services.

The FTSU Services will provide staff across the participating Contracting Authorities with a confidential, impartial, and accessible mechanism for raising concerns relating to workplace issues. These may include (though are not limited to) matters of patient care and safety, bullying, harassment, discrimination, unfair treatment, and other concerns regarding conduct, safety, culture, or working practices. The services must be delivered by qualified, accredited, and experienced FTSU ‘Guardians’ registered on the National Guardian’s Office Directory, who possess the expertise necessary to deliver impartial support and guidance to staff concerned about potential shortcomings in behaviour, service quality, or organisational culture.

The purpose of the Services is to support the Contracting Authorities in delivering their strategic organisational aims by:

• empowering staff to speak up safely and confidently through impartial support;
• strengthening leadership behaviours and approaches;
• Enhancing organisational responsiveness; and
• promoting innovation, learning, and continuous improvement through a transparent and responsive organisational culture.

This procurement is being conducted in accordance with the Open Procedure under the Procurement Act 2023, alongside the Contracting Authorities’ respective Standing Financial Instructions.

The opportunity is divided into three Lots, as follows:

• Lot 1: Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
• Lot 2: Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
• Lot 3: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust

Suppliers may submit a Tender for one, two, or all three Lots. A single Contract will be awarded for each Lot, covering the full scope of Services as defined in the Specification. Suppliers may be awarded multiple Lots, subject to the outcome of the evaluation process.

Please note that the contract values included within this notice are estimates only, reflecting the potential scale of the contract and optional extension periods. These figures do not however take into account:

(i) the application of indexation; or

(ii) potential increases or decreases in the demand for services during the Contract term as detailed within the tender documents. The Contracting Authorities do not guarantee any volume or value under this contract or in association with this notice.