Enhanced Community Pharmacy Service for the Supply of on Demand Palliative Care and Other Specialist Medication

NHS Midlands & Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (ML CSU) are placing this Intention to Award notice on behalf of the Commissioner, NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care Board (LLR ICB). The Commissioner wishes to award a contract to a provider to deliver end-of-life medicines and urgent community treatment (palliative care drugs) in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. This is a new service model that is to be commissioned following a Competitive Process conducted in line with the Provider Selection Regime for Healthcare Services 2023 which is proportionate to the value and complexity of the service and contract. The Provider Selection Regime applies under common procurement vocabulary (CPV) 85149000-5, as this service is not covered under the community pharmacy services that are arranged under the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/349/contents) Aims and objectives of the service: • The aim of this enhanced service is to provide service users and clinicians with prompt access to a range of palliative care and specialist medications on an urgent basis. • Improving access to End of Life (EoL) medication is also expected to reduce pressure on secondary care providers and facilitate admission avoidance. If medication needs can be met in a timely manner, more patients will be able to stay at home. • As a further system and workforce benefit, improving the processes for supply and delivery of anticipatory medications will improve productivity and morale in community nursing, community palliative care services and primary care by providing a clear and standardised pathway to obtaining these medications. • The provider must stock a range of palliative care and other specialist medication on an urgent basis. • Upon receipt of an electronic (EPS) prescription marked (in EPS script notes) for "urgent delivery", to facilitate delivery of these items to a home or care home address within LLR so that it arrives within 3 hours of receiving the EPS prescription. The ICB wishes to award one contract for a Pilot for these services. The contract is anticipated to start on the 1st of October 2024 for 18 months with a contract value of £150,000 for the lifecycle of the contract. The contractual payment terms will be based on a mixed payments contract, a mix of block and cost and volume. There will be a retainer fee and activity-based payments linked to deliveries.