Provision of an Early Support Mental Hub

The NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership, hosted by Velindre NHS Trust are acting on behalf of Cardiff and Vale University Local Health Board who are seeking to establish a contract for the provision of an Early Support Mental Hub

Providers are invited to bid to develop and implement an early support mental health hub model of service alongside Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (C&V UHB). The development of local, easy to access early support mental health hubs has proven to be an effective way of providing children and young people with support when they need it. This is backed up by young people in the region telling us that they would benefit from such a resource.

The early support mental health hub will be one part of the regional provision for children and young people’s mental health. The service will need to link into other provision delivered by other partners, including C&V UHB, local authorities and the third sector, to provide children and young people with the best possible experience.

The purpose of the early mental health support hub will be to provide mental health support to any children and young people when a problem/s first arises for them. This will be available to all children and young people in the region, including those who are waiting to access or already accessing specialist support.

The development of an early support mental health hub aims to achieve:

• Easy and open access to a range of support
• Better outcomes for people with acute mental health issues
• Increased satisfaction from those who access services
• Reduction in admissions to A&E and crisis teams
• Provide an easy to access service by providing check ins for those who have previously accessed specialist support
• System wide efficiencies

The successful provider or consortia of providers will work with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to develop an early support mental health hub for all children and young people in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

The aim will be to support between 500 – 1500 people a year on a drop in basis who are facing challenges with their mental health ranging from a one off ‘bad day’ to those who are already accessing specialist support but require space and someone to talk to between appointments.

Further details can be obtained in the tender documents on the e-tenderwales portal.