Lived Experience Services across the South West Prison Estate

Descriptions

NHS England Health and Justice South West (The Commissioner) intends to commission Lived Experience Services across the South West male prison estate and would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services.

The contribution of service users who have first-hand experience of using the healthcare services within prisons is essential to the delivery of effective services and in informing the commissioning process.

NHS England have a statutory duty, under Section 13Q of the Health and Social Care Act 2006 to involve and listen to the voice of those with lived experience in the design, delivery and ongoing performance of our commissioned health services.

To support NHS England Health and Justice South West in meeting these obligations, the aims of the Lived Experience service are:

• To enable all service users to effectively contribute to the continuous improvement of NHS England Health and Justice South West commissioned healthcare services in prisons, as well as being supported to have an independent voice, through various forms of engagement and regular feedback to the prison, the healthcare providers and commissioners.

• To enable commissioners to receive clearly the voice of their service users to inform decision-making in relation to healthcare provision.

• To help ensure outcomes for patients in the Health and Justice system are equivalent to those in the wider community.

The service will be expected to develop a range of appropriate opportunities and activities that engage service users and support their ability to contribute their experience of commissioned healthcare services. This will be through a variety of methods developed to facilitate and deliver meaningful activity.

This service must maintain independence of service activity from commissioners, health care providers and the prison in order to have the ability to act as an independent and critical friend.

The following establishments likely to be in scope, and likely Lots, are:

• (Lot 1): Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (BSGW) prisons - HMP Ashfield, HMP Bristol, HMP Erlestoke and HMP Leyhill

• (Lot 2): Devon prisons - HMP Channings Wood and HMP Exeter

• (Lot 3): Dorset prisons - HMP Guys Marsh, HMP Portland and HMP The Verne

It is anticipated that the contracts will commence on 1st September 2026 for an initial period of 2 years with the option to extend for a further period up to 30th September 2029, at the sole discretion of the Commissioner.

The Commissioner has an indicative budget of £13,500 (exclusive of VAT) per prison per annum, which equates to the following indicative annual contract values for each Lot:

• BSGW - £54,000

• Devon - £27,000

• Dorset - £40,500

It is expected that the procurement process to award the contracts will commence February 2026.