Subject:		Procurement of a New NHS 111 Service
Date of Meeting:		16 October 2019
Report of:		Executive Lead for Strategy, Governance & Law (Monitoring Officer)
Contact Officer:	Name:	Giles Rossington	Tel: 01273 295514
	Email:	giles.rossington@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected:		(All Wards);

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

1.         PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT

1.1 This report provides an update on the progress of the re-procurement of NHS 111 services for Sussex and Kent.

1.2 Information provided by NHS commissioners is included as Appendices 1 & 2 to this report.

2.         RECOMMENDATIONS:    

2.1 That the Committee notes the contents of this report.

3. CONTEXT/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1 The NHS provides the public with advice and support for urgent, but non-emergency health issues via its NHS 111 telephone helpline. 111 was provided by South East Coast Ambulance NHS Trust (SECAmb), but the contract needed to be re-procured.

3.2 The HOSC received an initial report on plans to re-procure 111 at its 06 September 2017 meeting and has been monitoring the procurement process since then. This process has taken longer than anticipated as the initial Sussex-wide procurement was suspended when it became evident to commissioners that an opportunity had arisen to procure more cost effectively at larger scale (with Kent).

3.3  The new111 contract, jointly procured across Sussex and Kent, has now been awarded. The new contractor will be SECAmb, with elements of the service subcontracted to IC24, a social enterprise. More information on the contract award and the mobilisation of the new service has been provided by NHS commissioners and is included for information as Appendix 1 to this report. The new service will begin operating on 01 April 2020. A mobilisation timeline is included as Appendix 2.

4. ANALYSIS & CONSIDERATION OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

4.1 Not relevant to this report for information

5. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION

5.1 None undertaken

6.         CONCLUSION

6.1 Members are asked to note the award of the new NHS 111 contract for Sussex and Kent to SECAmb.

7.         FINANCIAL & OTHER IMPLICATIONS:

Financial Implications:

7.1 Not relevant to this report for information

Legal Implications:

7.2 There are no legal implications to this report

Lawyer Consulted: Elizabeth Culbert                                           Date: 01/08/2019

Equalities Implications:

7.3 None directly as this report is for information. However, members may be interested to explore the steps being taken to ensure that 111 or equivalent services can be accessed by everyone, including groups for whom a telephone helpline may be problematic (e.g. people with hearing loss; people who are not fluent in English; people with learning disabilities etc.)

Sustainability Implications:

7.4       None directly as this report is for information. Effective use of NHS signposting services including NHS 111 should reduce unnecessary attendances at A&E or GP surgeries and this may have a positive sustainability impact on NHS services.

Any Other Significant Implications:

7.5       None identified

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Appendices:

1.         Information on the 111 tender and mobilisation provided by NHS commissioners

2.         Mobilisation timeline

Documents in Members’ Rooms

None 

Background Documents

None