Mid and South Essex Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services (NEPTS)

Descriptions

The Contracting Authorities (hereinafter referred to as "the Authority") for this procurement are: NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (as Coordinating Commissioner), NHS Basildon & Brentwood Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Castle Point and Rochford Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Southend Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Thurrock Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group., The Authority is looking for a capable provider to deliver a single contract for the delivery of Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service (NEPTS) for the population of mid and south Essex (MSE), for all land-based provision (across all ages) with the exception of secure mental health transport. In addition, the service will be provided to patients registered with NHS West Essex CCG in relation to journeys to/from the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre., The NEPTS will encompass:, • Booking & Eligibility Assessment;, • Transportation of patients; and, • On Site support at local NHS Acute Trust sites., Lotting this service was deemed inappropriate as it would result in unnecessary fragmentation and complexities., The Service will primarily be delivered within Essex and surrounding areas. Journeys will also be delivered outside of the local area as a consequence of patient choice, where specialist care is required or for repatriation., During 2019/20, approximately 178,000 journeys were undertaken across the in-scope NEPTS provision. Although there are no current plans in place that will change the expected activity levels for the in-scope provision, the proposed contract model will provide flexibility for any fundamental changes in activity to be adjusted for within the term of the contract., NEPTS are a key enabler underpinning access to elective care and supporting timely and efficient discharge processes for acute and community providers. As a partner within the system, the NEPTS provider for MSE will support improvements in the latter stages of urgent and emergency care pathways and continue to enable patient choice and equitable access for elective care., The service provider will be involved with a range of service developments including the consideration of additional low level/low risk journeys from within the 999 contract to the patient transport service (for example 'GP Urgents'). The provider will work with the Commissioners to explore the development of a technological solution to deliver active communication with patients and healthcare professionals., The Authority wishes to proceed with a one stage procurement to establish a single supplier across mid and south Essex, and NHS West Essex CCG for journeys to/from the Essex Cardiothoracic Centre, with service commencement 1st April 2022., Further information also provided in section VI.3.