Hertfordshire Admissions Avoidance Response Car Service

This notice is to inform the market of NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board's intention to award this contract following a direct award process A to its incumbent supplier, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, to continue to deliver this service within Hertfordshire.

This notice is to inform the market of NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board's contract award following a direct award process A to its incumbent supplier, East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, to continue to deliver the Hertfordshire Admittance Avoidance Response Car (HAARC) Service within Hertfordshire.

The HAARC service provides quick access to Advanced Paramedics providing specialist clinical advice and support to Care Homes so that residents only attend hospital if it is clinically necessary. Residents are assessed and treated for minor injuries and illnesses, and management plans are jointly developed with Care Home staff. HAARC staff also facilitate training sessions for Care Home staff in the treatment of minor injuries and illnesses.

The HAARC service currently supports over 150 Care Homes across Dacorum, St Albans and Harpenden, Watford and Three Rivers and Hertsmere. The service also supports several HPFT facilities, Supported Living (previously care homes) where there is no medical cover and limited general nurse cover.

Some the key benefits and outcomes that the HAARC service has achieved include:

• Improved resident experience and outcomes - enabling individuals to remain in their residence and avoid separation from friends and carers, breaking established routines and surroundings.
• Reduction in ambulance conveyancing to A&E from Care Homes.
• Reduction in attendance / admission to acute hospital of Care Home residents.
• Reduction in frequent use of the urgent and emergency service.
• Freeing up capacity in EEAST’s frontline operational resources to focus on higher acuity patients.
• Training has resulted in enhanced competency and support for Care Home staff.
• Reduction in calls to primary care GPs.
• Reduced re-contact rates to 999 and / or other unplanned presentations to healthcare services.
• A&E attendance and hospital admission cost savings.

The contract has been in place with East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust since April 2016 with a cumulative contract value to end March 2024 of £4,349,528.

The contract period is from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026 with a maximum value of the new contract of £620,418 per annum. Should the optional extension for an additional one year be used, the maximum contract value for the 2-year period is £1,240,836.