NEL CCG End of Life Rapid Response Service

North East London CCG (NEL CCG) intends to directly negotiate and award contracts for End of Life Rapid Response services to Marie Curie (registered charity 207994) commencing 1st October 2021. The CCG believes that Marie Curie is the only provider of the Rapid Response services in the NEL area and the only provider capable of mobilising a service in NEL within the timescale.

The service must be delivered by a CQC registered provider with relevant and up to date skills and training to deliver a two person Qualified Nurse led Palliative Care Rapid Response service. The service would be for:

Contract 1: GP registered patients of Barking and Dagenham, and on occasion more widely across the Barking, Havering and Redbridge Integrated health care partnership. The service will be run as a pilot service, over a planned one year period, to assess the effectiveness of the service. The initial focus of the one year pilot will be on the Barking and Dagenham area and Redbridge. The contract for the service will be awarded as a 1+2 year agreement with any extension confirmed only after evaluation of the pilot.

Contract 2: GP registered patients of Newham, the City of London and Hackney boroughs. This is a continuation of an existing service which will provide continuity while the CCG evaluates the effectiveness of the BHR pilot and decides on the most effective commissioning model for rapid response services across NEL. The contract for the services will be awarded on 1 year basis.

The service is for registered residents who are in the last weeks of life and who have an explicit and documented preference to palliative care at home or in their usual place of residence, including end of life care (in the absence of a reversible condition).

NEL CCG would be interested in engagement with any organisations who would like to comment on the proposed approach particularly those organisations who may be able to deliver a Rapid Response service at some point in the future.

The service will require the urgent palliative care of a two hour response and home visiting where needed (including timely verification of death) provided within all community settings, including Nursing Homes, which District Nurses will not visit. This should be implemented across all communities to make the most difficult times less logistically difficult and heighten efficiency of services. The service will be required to operate between 2200 - 0800, 365 days a year.

The service must be for person centred care: Multi Visit Services / Services to visit individuals in multiple sites, working across the care trajectory, providing person centred care and longevity of care. Close working with local Hospices, Community Nursing and Acute services to provide care continuity and DAILY start /end of shift handover. PRN medication including non-oral route as prescribed and required.

Any organisation interested in expressing an interest should respond the NEL CCG using the attached template form.