NHS West Yorkshire ICB - WHCP - Adult Bereavement Service

NHS West Yorkshire integrated Care Board through Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership as the Contracting Authority is seeking to identify a suitable partner to provide adult bereavement services under contract to around 600 service users per annum in or around the Wakefield District. The current contract will expire at the end of June 2024

Under the contract the successful Bidder(s) will be required to provide timely and relevant one-to-one and group bereavement support to adults in Wakefield after the death of a person. Furthermore, the successful Bidder(s) will be in a position to identify those at increased risk of, or currently experiencing a complex or prolonged grief reaction and support them to access appropriate services.

Bidder(s) will develop an ongoing training programme to provide bereavement support training and education for all professionals/organisations/voluntary services who support people who have or are experiencing a bereavement. The aim of this is to increase community participation and capacity in supporting people to access the right information and support. The successful Bidder(s) will offer national, local and emergency information to all clients who access bereavement support.

The successful Bidder(s) will develop and manage a district-wide bereavement forum, bringing together all local organisations providing bereavement support services; to enhance networks, share good practice, develop pathways, agree common outcome measures and build upon collaborative working. Bidder(s) will commit to a partnership approach, engaging with the Wakefield End of Life Care Board and Mental Health Alliance to meet the bereavement support needs of each person accessing the Service.

The Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership is willing to consider viable contractual options that may be put forward in response to this tender.

• Should the contract be awarded it is expected that the initial contract period will be 5 years.
• The current Service Provider supports around 600 service users per annum.
• The Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership would expect services to be provided within the Wakefield District area.
• Core/essential and other services to be provided at the from 8:00am to 6:30pm (Monday to Friday) with relevant signposting information for out of hours and crisis services
• The Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership would expect the service to be provided by volunteers, trained bereavement support workers and specialist bereavement counsellors.
• The Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership would expect the service to be inclusive, accessible, and flexible, ensuring user access, improved experience, and outcomes.
• The Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership would expect reasonable adjustments to be made to support services users, including but not limited to, different appointment times, durations and formats (i.e. telephone, video and face-to-face), and location of appointments. Taking into accounts access via public transport and areas of deprivation.
• The Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership would require any potential bidder to demonstrate the capacity and capability to provide the service from 1st July 2024.