Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) including IAPT for Long Term Conditions/Medically Unexplained Symptoms

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) including IAPT for Long Term Conditions/Medically Unexplained Symptoms

This is a VEAT notice for the direct award of contract of 18 months to incumbent providers.

The IAPT service provides identification, assessment, and treatment of adults (aged 18+) with common mental health disorders, in accordance with appropriate NICE guidance and NHS IAPT manual , with the aim of improving wellbeing and quality of life in line with Calderdale Cares and the Calderdale Wellbeing Strategy.

The COVID-19 outbreak has delayed the Commissioners detailed review of the IAPT service. This has given rise to an urgent need to secure a safe continued provision of service during these uncertain times. The pressures of COVID-19 have meant there has been insufficient time for Calderdale CCG to complete a full review of the IAPT service to include the best contract approach going forward (Any Qualified Provider v block contract). It is clear to commissioners that at this point in time AQP does not allow potential providers to establish and maintain resilient and sustainable models to deliver the service as specified.

The current contracting approach is not conducive to the delivery of effective talking therapies on a resilient and sustainable basis and has resulted in our decision to change our contracting arrangements. Accordingly, this has brought about circumstances which a diligent contracting authority could not have foreseen which has resulted in the decision to withdraw the service from AQP from 1st April 2022 and directly award an IAPT contract for 18 months to the incumbent providers. This does not alter the overall nature of the contract.