Pre-Tender Market Engagement – Tender for Self Harm Intervention Programme (SHIP) [4867339]

Pre-Tender Market Engagement – Tender for Self Harm Intervention Programme (SHIP) [4867339]

This contract will be awarded on behalf of the Public Health Agency (PHA) in Northern Ireland. It will be for the provision of community based psychological interventions and support services for people who self-harm including support for their family/carer.

The current SHIP service complements the provision of mental health services provided across each of the five Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts. SHIP targets those with less complex mental health needs that, following triage or assessment, are deemed not to require input from the Step 3 Trust mental health services.

The aim of the service will include, but is not restricted to:

1. Provide psychological interventions for individuals who have self-harmed with a view to preventing repetition of self-harm and suicide.

2. The intervention delivered will be a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) informed intervention. This does not mean delivering CBT but to take a CBT informed approach and therefore it is our intention that staff will hold a level 5 qualification in CBT in addition to other relevant counselling/mental health qualifications specified. Providers will be expected to have an awareness of trauma-informed care and apply these principles. Providers should also have a basic awareness of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) approaches, although are not expected to deliver DBT interventions, rather to know when these may be required and escalate cases appropriately.

3. To provide family members or other identified support person(s) with education regarding how to support a person who self-harms, promote self-care and strengthen their own coping skills.

The purpose of this PIN is to raise awareness of an upcoming procurement and gauge the level of interest in the provision of such services, and also to make potential Providers aware in advance of key service requirements and the introduction of Northern Ireland Procurement Policy Notes (PPN) relating to Social Value & Human Rights that will be included in any future Tender.