Decision details

The School Health Service provides the 5-19 Healthy Child Programme, which is universal and targeted support for children and young people of school age. The current contract value is £2,000,000 and is funded from the ring-fenced Public Health Grant. The service was last procured in 2019 and the current contract ends 31 December 2024.

It is proposed that the School Health Service should be awarded under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Direct Award Process C.

The Lead Member is recommended to agree the proposed procurement route and the provider to be awarded the contract, based on the detailed information provided in the report.

16.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health together with exempt information contained in a later agenda item.

DECISIONS

16.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to agree that the Provider Selection Regime Direct Award Process C procurement route is taken to award the School Health Service contract for 3 years from 1 January 2025 until 31 December 2027, with an option to extend for up to 24 months.

REASONS

16.3     Children and young people’s health needs have increased since the pandemic, including safeguarding, mental health, developmental issues, school readiness, pupil absence and attainment levels. There are also common unmet needs across the system in relation to continence, sleep, mental health, healthy weight, and in post-16 settings. The need for the healthy child programme that aims to bring together health, education and other main partners to deliver an effective programme for prevention and support is now of even greater importance.

16.4     The care delivered by school health teams continues to be an essential part of the response to and recovery from the pandemic, supporting families and communities through indirect impacts and ‘hidden harms’, especially in deprived communities and among the most vulnerable. The updated Healthy Child Programme is timely as the public health nursing system endeavours to work with the most vulnerable families. It is considered that the School Health Service under the current refreshed specification can respond effectively to emerging needs.