--- title: "PIN Notice: Counselling Services in Bedfordshire" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-029d2c" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-029d2c" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029d2c.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029d2c.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "EAST LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST" published: "2021-03-18" --- # PIN Notice: Counselling Services in Bedfordshire Buyer: EAST LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-029d2c [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-029d2c) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029d2c.json) ## Summary The East London NHS Foundation Trust is in the planning stage of a tender for counselling services in Bedfordshire, identified as project DN533507. This procurement falls under the category of health services, specifically focusing on IAPT-compliant counselling. The trust is seeking expressions of interest to deliver these services, which involve a time-limited course of counselling aiming to achieve effective therapy outcomes for service users. Key details include a future notice anticipated on 1st April 2022, with a requirement for providers to have or quickly establish a local presence in Bedfordshire, in line with operational and safeguarding standards. This tender presents an excellent opportunity for counselling service providers and businesses in the health sector to expand their operations. Companies with experience delivering mental health services to diverse populations and those capable of meeting the 90-day national waiting time standard will find this particularly advantageous. Interested businesses should prepare to demonstrate their expertise in managing workforce dynamics and achieving contracted activity targets, as well as a robust strategy for providing timely treatment appointments. ## Notice ELFT delivers IAPT psychological therapies services in Bedfordshire (excluding Luton), and currently commissions Counselling provision to an external provider. The Trust is currently seeking expressions of interest to deliver the counselling service. The counselling service must be delivered in line with the IAPT model and use the Trust's clinical record system to maintain accurate records of appointments attended, outcome measures, etc. in line with the national Minimum Data Set (MDS) for IAPT. Due to Covid-19 both the overall IAPT service and the Counselling component are currently being delivered mainly by video and telephone but in future we expect to return to offering face-to-face delivery for those who prefer it. Therefore an existing local presence in Bedfordshire, or the ability to develop this quickly, would be an advantage. The service consists of a time-limited course of counselling following the principles of the national IAPT programme. The provider will be expected to accept referrals following assessment by ELFT IAPT clinicians, managing the waiting list effectively to keep waiting times at an acceptable level, and delivering effective therapy to help service users to achieve a Recovery outcome, as defined in the IAPT manual. The service will provide brief counselling, recording the IAPT minimum data set at each appointment, with a target to deliver at least 200 attended appointments per month (likely to equate to around 40-45 people per month starting treatment). These activity targets may be increased (in agreement with the provider) to reflect increasing local access targets and/or demand for counselling. The provider will operate as an integral part of the Bedfordshire Wellbeing Service and adhere to its performance, operational, and safeguarding standards. Expression of Interest Questions Please demonstrate with relevant examples (500 words each) - 1) Your experience of delivering an IAPT-compliant counselling service to a diverse population and delivering positive experiences and clinical outcomes for service users, with particular reference to the recovery rate. 2) Your ability to recruit, maintain and manage a workforce sufficient to achieve contractual activity targets, including ability to expand to meet contractual changes or short-term spikes in demand? Please highlight your strategies and track record. 3) How will you ensure that the counselling service is able to offer treatment appointments in a timely manner to ensure that the service achieves the national 90-day waiting time standard? Please submit your responses via Proactis Due-North Project DN522507. ### Lot Information Lot 1 PIN Notice Renewal: Market Test. Contract will have options for extensions. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005563-2021 | | 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 | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 18 Mar 2021 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 31 Mar 2022 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | Not specified | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planned | | Lots status | Planned | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | EAST LONDON NHS FOUNDATION TRUST | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | East London | | Postcode | E1 8DE | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East | | ITL 3 | TLI42 Tower Hamlets | | Local authority | Tower Hamlets | | Electoral ward | Whitechapel | | Westminster constituency | Bethnal Green and Stepney | | Delivery location | TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire, TLI London | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 85 - Health and social work services ### Codes - 85312320 - Counselling services ## Release History - 18 Mar 2021 at 18:14 - Planning - Planning Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005563-2021 ## Notice URLs - http://www.elft.nhs.uk/ - https://procontract.due-north.com/ ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-029d2c. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-029d2c.json.