Integrated Health and Wellbeing Services to Prisons in the South West region

NHS England (NHSE) South West (the Commissioner) recommissioned health and wellbeing services to prisons across the South West region. NHSE sought to secure Prime Provider(s) who had the capability and capacity to deliver services in line with the specified requirements.

There are 11 establishments across the South West, which were separated in to four lots. A single contract has been awarded to a Prime Provider for each lot.

The Contracts have been awarded for a term of approximately 7 years, with no extension options; all contracts will expire on 30 September 2029.

1. Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (BSGW) prisons - awarded to Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, and commenced on 01 October 2022: HMP Bristol (Cat B) HMP Ashfield (Cat C) HMP Erlestoke (Cat C) HMP Leyhill (Cat D)

2. Female closed prison: HMP Eastwood Park - awarded to Practice Plus Group Ltd (PPG), and commenced on 01 October 2022,

3. Dorset prisons - awarded to Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, and commenced on 01 December 2022: HMP Guys Marsh (Cat C) HMP Portland (Cat C) HMP The Verne (Cat C)

4. Devon prisons - awarded to Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, and commenced on 01 December 2022: HMP Exeter (Cat B) HMP Channings Wood (Cat C) HMP Dartmoor (Cat C)

Social Care

Provision of social care varies across the prisons. Where social care is not currently part of the delivery model at this stage, for certain prisons, the Commissioner hopes to move to a fully integrated service during the life of the contract, subject to emerging demand at that stage.

Any updates or changes in relation to social care will be managed through contract variation processes during the life of the contract.

Dentistry

Dental service provision is within scope and will be delivered via a dental provider operating under a Personal Dental Services (PDS) contract issued by NHSE.

Financial envelopes

The advertised total whole life combined contract value for all lots is £278,377,000.00

This value includes social care values where applicable, mobilisation funding, which will be made available in Year 1, and a "Provider Improvement Fund" for Years 2 to 7. This fund will be retained by the Commissioner and aims to enable flexibility of funding for multi-establishment initiatives. The providers will need to work with the Commissioner on an initiative-by-initiative basis to access this funding.

Additional information: Change

There is a national prison expansion programme taking place to increase the number of available places in prison, and it is anticipated that there will be operational capacity changes across the South West prison estate.

The contract envelope is based on current operational capacity figures and the providers will be required to work with commissioners to address any changes that happen.

This, along with other changes resulting from reconfiguration, e.g. flow of people, resettlement and trainer populations, and aging populations, will need to be accounted for in the delivery of healthcare services.

Changes to prison population(s) will be managed through contract variation processes.

This procurement was carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner(s).

The services are healthcare services falling within Schedule 3 to the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 ("the Regulations") which are not subject to the full regime of the Regulations, but are instead governed by the "Light Touch Regime" contained within Chapter 3, Section 7 of the Regulations (Regulations 74 to 77).