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The Provision of a Mental Health Crisis Text Support Service on behalf of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board

NHS CHESHIRE AND MERSEYSIDE INTEGRATED CARE BOARD

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

10 Aug 2026 at 08:51

Planning Notice
Summary of the contracting process

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board intends to procure an all-age mental health crisis text support service covering Cheshire and Merseyside. The service will provide immediate, accessible and inclusive text-based support for people experiencing mental health distress or crisis, operating continuously throughout the year. Its scope includes assessment, de-escalation, safety planning, signposting and referral into appropriate local urgent and crisis mental health services. The service is intended to integrate with NHS 111’s Mental Health Option, local crisis response pathways and other relevant health and care services. It is designed to improve access for people facing barriers to telephone or face-to-face support, including communication difficulties, disability, sensory needs, stigma or geographical isolation, and to support both urban and rural communities.

This procurement is at the planning stage and the buyer is engaging the market before deciding its commissioning approach and procurement strategy; there is no invitation to tender at this stage. The buyer expects any subsequent process to fall under the Provider Selection Regime for healthcare services. The requirement is planned as a single lot. The proposed contract term is two years, with a potential one-year extension, and the maximum total value across that term is £900,000 including the extension. The buyer expects the next notice to be published on 1 September 2026. Market engagement will seek views on delivery models, operational requirements, integration, affordability, capacity, capability and innovation, to help develop the specification and procurement approach.

This will suit providers of urgent and emergency mental health services, crisis support, digital health or text-based support with the operational capacity to deliver an all-age service continuously across a large and diverse area. Relevant suppliers should be able to provide rapid assessment, de-escalation, safety planning, signposting and onward referral, with robust safeguarding and escalation arrangements for people in crisis. Experience integrating services with NHS 111, local mental health crisis pathways and wider health and care services will be important. Providers should be able to demonstrate inclusive service design for people who cannot readily use telephone or face-to-face services, including people with disabilities, sensory or communication needs. Organisations able to offer scalable delivery, regional coverage and credible service innovation should prepare to engage.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Provision of a Mental Health Crisis Text Support Service on behalf of NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board

Notice Description

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside is seeking to engage with the market regarding the provision of an all-age, 24-hour, 7 days a week/ 365 days a year Mental Health Crisis Text Service across Cheshire and Merseyside. The service will provide immediate, accessible and inclusive text-based support for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis and will operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The service is intended to be fully integrated with NHS 111 (Mental Health Option) and local crisis response pathways, ensuring seamless access to urgent mental health support and onward referral where required. The service has been developed in line with NHS England guidance on urgent and emergency mental health care and supports the objectives of the NHS Long Term Plan, the Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan, and national suicide prevention priorities. It aims to improve access to crisis support for people who may experience barriers to traditional services, including those affected by stigma, communication difficulties, disability, sensory needs, or geographical isolation across the region's diverse urban and rural communities. This notice is intended to inform the market of the Authority's future procurement intentions and support engagement with potential providers. The term of the contract is 2 years plus a potential 1 year extension. The total contract value over the 2 years plus the potential 1 year extension will be a maximum total contract value calculated as PS900,000

Lot Information

Lot 1

The Authority is seeking to engage with the market in advance of a potential procurement for the provision of an all-age Mental Health Crisis Text Service across Cheshire and Merseyside, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The service will provide immediate text-based support for individuals experiencing mental health distress or crisis, including assessment, de-escalation, safety planning, signposting and referral into appropriate local crisis and urgent mental health services. The service must be accessible, inclusive and responsive to the needs of diverse populations, including individuals who may face barriers to accessing traditional telephone or face-to-face support. The service will be required to integrate effectively with NHS 111 (Mental Health Option), local crisis pathways and other relevant health and care services across Cheshire and Merseyside, supporting timely access to urgent mental health care and helping to reduce avoidable presentations to emergency and acute services. Through this market engagement exercise, the Authority is seeking feedback from potential providers on service delivery models, operational requirements, integration considerations, affordability, capacity and capability, and any opportunities for innovation. Information gathered will help inform the development of the service specification and procurement strategy. All market engagement documentation and supporting materials will be made available via SAP Ariba. Interested organisations wishing to participate in this market engagement exercise should register their interest through SAP Ariba (link provided below), where they will be able to access the relevant documentation, submit responses and receive any updates or clarifications issued by the Authority. https://portal.us.bn.cloud.ariba.com/dashboard/public/appext/comsapsbncdiscoveryui#/RfxEvent/preview/1110021195?anId=ANONYMOUS Please use the "Respond" button and follow the instructions provided to either log in or create an account. Once this has been completed, you will be able to access and download the MEQ documents. This procurement requirement falls within the scope of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR), as introduced under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. Accordingly, any subsequent procurement process will be conducted in accordance with the applicable PSR regulations and guidance. This market engagement exercise is being undertaken to inform the commissioning approach, understand market capability and capacity, and gather information from potential providers prior to making any procurement decision.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06df9f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075524-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Planning Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

85100000 - Health services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£900,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Sep 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
NHS CHESHIRE AND MERSEYSIDE INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LIVERPOOL
Postcode
L3 4BL
Postcode Area
Liverpool
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLD North West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLD7 Merseyside
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLD72 Liverpool
Delivery Location
TLD6 Cheshire, TLD7 Merseyside
Local Authority
Liverpool
Electoral Ward
Festival Gardens
Westminster Constituency
Liverpool Riverside

Further Information

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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