Published date: 14 October 2021

Awarded contract - This means that the contract has been awarded to a supplier.


Closing: 2 August 2021, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Research and development services and related consultancy services - 73000000

  • Provision of services to the community - 75200000

  • Prison services - 75231230

    • Community health services - 85323000

Location of contract

LS2 7UE

Value of contract

£32,500 to £32,350

Procurement reference

CF-0412500D0O000000rwimUAA1

Published date

14 October 2021

Closing date

2 August 2021

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

1 September 2021

Contract end date

1 March 2022

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Single tender action (below threshold)

A direct contract with a single supplier, without competition.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

There are around 90,000 people within England with the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). Some populations are of higher risk of HCV, including people who were born in endemic countries, people who inject drugs, and those who are in custody.

Members of the GRT communities are overrepresented in the prison system, and sometimes even not likely to identify themselves as GRT within the prisons. These populations can therefore be difficult to access, and it is hard to know what their needs are to ensure they are able to access the testing and treatment they might require.

There is some research to indicate that NHS England and NHS Improvement must better meet the health and social care needs of GRT offenders as they are potentially at a higher risk of HCV and are less likely to engage with some health services. However, more research is needed to understand the barriers GRT populations face in prison accessing HCV testing and treatment.

This contract requires an organisation to design and test Hepatitis C materials - specifically targeted at GRT populations - with GRT individuals. This should be done through at least 20 semi-structured interviews with current offenders who are GRT within English prisons.

There should also be the development of GRT peer mentors to increase the understanding of GRT communities, which in turn will increase testing and treatment numbers amongst these communities. There should be at least 8 peer mentors trained for this. The peers must have high levels of knowledge and understanding of HCV, and must be currently in prison and from the GRT community, and have lived experience of HCV testing/treatment.

There should also be the creation of a bespoke video resource which will show a member(s) of the GRT community being tested for HCV for dissemination amongst GRT communities. Alongside this should be a communications and engagement campaign targeted at GRT populations around HCV, which will increase testing and treatment numbers. This should all be conducted with lived experience input at the centre.

Research must be conducted within English prisons, and so working with Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) research arm will be central.

More information

Links

Award information

Awarded date

23 August 2021

Contract start date

1 September 2021

Contract end date

1 March 2022

Total value of contract

£32,350

This contract was awarded to 1 supplier.

Gypsylife

Address

Gypsylife, Gypsy Corner Farm,Smeath Road, Hayton, Retford, DN22 9JL, Retford, DN22 9JL

Reference

None

Supplier is SME?

Yes

Supplier is VCSE?

No

About the buyer

Contact name

Anita Pannu

Address

Quarry House
Leeds
LS2 7UE
UK

Email

anita.pannu@nhs.net