Planning

NELFT Peer Support Service

NORTH EAST LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

20 Nov 2025 at 15:53

Summary of the contracting process

The North East London NHS Foundation Trust is initiating a procurement process for the "NELFT Peer Support Service," currently in the planning stage as of 20th November 2025. The tender, located in Essex, UK, falls under the community health services industry category. The Trust is seeking to collaborate with local voluntary and community organisations to provide culturally-informed Peer Support Workers for their Mental Health and Wellness Teams across Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Barking & Dagenham, and Havering. An initial market engagement event is scheduled for 12th December 2025, aiming to inform and collaborate with potential providers, with expressions of interest due by 15th December 2025 via the Atamis portal.

This tender offers significant business growth potential for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) capable of delivering innovative and culturally competent services. Organisations with experience in mental health, community health services, or those with strong community connections will find this opportunity particularly fitting. The contract spans from 1st May 2026 to 30th April 2027, with the option for renewal, providing a stable partnership for businesses focusing on enhancing mental health service delivery through peer support and culturally-sensitive care.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

NELFT Peer Support Service

Notice Description

NELFT invite local voluntary and community organisations to apply for a contract to recruit and provide culturally-informed and community-connected Peer Support Workers to join our Mental Health and Wellness Teams (MHWT) in Redbridge, Waltham Forest, Barking & Dagenham and Havering. Our MHWT provide specialist support for adults (18+) with moderate to serious mental health challenges, using multi-disciplinary teams to assess needs and develop plans that promote wellbeing and independence. Peer Support Workers build recovery-focused, therapeutic relationships, using their own lived experience to inspire hope and empower service users. They support care planning, hold caseloads, connect individuals with community resources, promote holistic wellbeing, and help service users navigate practical and social opportunities, while maintaining resilience and safely sharing their own experiences. The programme will run for three years with ongoing evaluation and co-production, aiming to build a leading person-centred mental health service. Targeted Focus and Innovation We have identified gaps through data and lived experiences showing some groups face poorer access and outcomes. The new Peer Support model will focus on these underserved demographics, working alongside local voluntary and community organisations to reduce inequalities and strengthen inclusion. These areas for improvement include, but are not limited to: * Increase awareness of the full range of available mental health services beyond anxiety and depression. * Provide longer-duration support with timely access and structured follow-up. * Deliver culturally competent care with PSWs matched to service users' backgrounds. * Ensure equitable access by addressing structural barriers, promoting clear complaint processes, and improving language diversity and support. * Design culturally relevant sessions incorporating mentorship and faith/community-informed approaches. * Support engagement by addressing isolation and the effects of generational trauma. * Provide culturally appropriate group and 1:1 interventions, connected to wider community resources. Providers are expected to propose innovative approaches and service improvements informed by specialist knowledge, experience working with local communities and feedback from service users, carers, and community partners. Peer Support Delivery Expectations Group Provision * Deliver culturally informed, co-designed sessions * Incorporate cultural elements (music, movement, cooking) * Target groups by demographic for cultural safety (e.g., younger/older Black men, South Asian women) * Facilitate links to wider community resources * Prioritise community-based delivery 1:1 Provision * Offer flexible, trust-building individual sessions * Match PSWs and service users by lived experience or culture * Help navigate services and prepare individuals for group/community participation * Use sharing of lived experience to promote recovery, reduce stigma, and model hope

Planning Information

This pre-procurement exercise will allow NELFT to engage directly and collaboratively with potential providers to: • Aid with procurement process design. • Determine the level of provider interest. • Help enable providers to participate in the process. • Inform development of service specification/s and collaborative service delivery options. • Help shape the commissioning and contracting process. Initial Market Briefing Event This session will be held in person and is limited to two attendees per supplier. Event Details: Date: Friday, 12th December 2025 • Time: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM • Venue: West Wing, CEME Innovation Centre, Marsh Way, Rainham, Essex, RM13 8GQ Submit expression of interest via Atamis portal (Reference is C402943) Link - https://atamis-1928.my.salesforce-sites.com/ProSpend__CS_ContractPage?SearchType=Projects&uid=a07Sr00000oIF7GIAW&searchStr=&sortStr=Recently+Published&page=1&filters=&County=

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05e5cb
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075792-2025
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

85323000 - Community health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£221,288 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
20 Nov 20252 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
23 Dec 20253 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Apr 2026 - 30 Apr 2027 6-12 months
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NORTH EAST LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Contact Name
Dola Kolawole
Contact Email
procurement@nelft.nhs.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
ESSEX
Postcode
RM13 8GQ
Post Town
Romford
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI5 Outer London - East and North East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI52 Barking & Dagenham and Havering
Delivery Location
TLI52 Barking & Dagenham and Havering, TLI53 Redbridge and Waltham Forest

Local Authority
Havering
Electoral Ward
Rainham & Wennington
Westminster Constituency
Dagenham and Rainham

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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