HMP Swansea Prison - General Dental Contract - GDS for SBUHB

The Health Board has a requirement for the provision of General Dental Services @ HMP Swansea. HMP Swansea is a category B/C prison for adult males remanded into custody from the local courts, as well as convicted and

sentenced prisoners. The prisoner profile is a familiar one across the UK; Overall maintaining good oral health is a challenge. Many prisoners come into custody from areas of substantial deprivation with very high

levels of treatment need. These circumstances are often compounded by a history of prolonged substance misuse, tobacco use, excess alcohol consumption and infrequent dental attendance when outside the prison.

The nature of the prison environment makes the delivery of care as equally challenging as the oral health of the patients. The population presents with incredibly high needs and there are a high number of emergency and urgent cases. The high turnover of prisoners in remand or short-stay institutions, where short sentences or frequent transfers between facilities mean courses of

treatment can go unfinished as prisoners are moved

on. To ensure that Swansea Bay UHB’s contracted dental services for men at HMP Swansea is driven by the men’s needs, their best long term interests, and minimises risks to themselves as individuals. To ensure care is consistent with relevant national and Swansea Bay UHB guidelines and policies and recognised best practice

and is provided: >in a safe environment

>by individuals who are competent to deliver the needs of the men and assess their best long term interests

>Underpinning Principles and Objectives of the Service

The purpose of this dental service provision is to promote a high quality, and preventative oral health focused dental care in a secure setting that is comparable to the service patients should expect to receive in a primary care setting.

The service will be evidence based and will enable the dental team to exercise professional judgement in working with patients to agree outcomes that will best promote better oral health and prevent ill health.

Direct Award Process 2 has been considered the most appropriate procurement process for the purposes of this requirement as the term of an existing contract is due to expire, and the commissioner has proposed a new contract to replace that existing contract at the end of its term; the proposed contracting arrangements are not a considerable change; and the commissioner is of the view that the existing providers are satisfying the existing contract and will likely be able to satisfy the proposed contract to a sufficient standard.

Information regarding the estimated lifetime value of the contract and the existing contract has not been published and is withheld under regulation 23(1) due to commercial sensitivity

The dates between which the services are intended to be provided : 01/09/2025 to 31/08/2029