Procurement for the provision of Covid Medicine Delivery Unit to Somerset Integrated Care Board

NHS Somerset Integrated Care board (ICB) is seeking to secure a Prime Provider who has the capability and capacity to deliver Covid Medicines Delivery Unit (CMDU) Services to People who are registered with a GP practice in Somerset or normally resident in Somerset who:

a) have been identified by NHSE or their consultant/specialist as high risk of an adverse Covid outcome

b) have Covid symptom onset and/or a positive lateral flow test

This service is for non-hospitalised adults who meet the criteria for assessment.

To assess and prescribe oral antiviral medications for the treatment of Covid, safely and effectively for patients eligible and suitable for this treatment.

Desired Outcomes:

• The patient has access to Covid medication within 5 days of symptom onset/positive lateral flow test
• Patients assessed overnight are expected to be assessed via a remote service the next day.

If for reasons of service sickness, a patient can be delayed for 24 hours. Anything further needs to be escalated to the ICB for agreement

The service will assess all patients in the community aged 18 years and over who are identified as being at high risk of an adverse outcome from Covid and have Covid symptoms and/or a positive lateral flow test. It is expected that these patients will have been provided with a letter by NHSE or have been identified as high risk by their specialist/consultant.

The service will assess the patient and where appropriate prescribe Covid medications. Where the patient does not fit the criteria for oral medication but may be eligible for second line intravenous medication, the service will make a referral to Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (Somerset FT) via Somerset Primary Link (SPL) for consideration and treatment if appropriate.

Referrals into the service are to be triaged on the day they are received. For those referrals received within 1 hour of the service closing time, the number of days since symptom onset should be ascertained. If clinically appropriate and the 5-day threshold will not be breached, the assessment of these patients may be delayed to the next opening day.

Assessments will be conducted remotely by telephone/video call. In instances when this default approach is not appropriate, online communication or another suitable method of communication will be utilised. To ensure an inclusive service, the service will make reasonable adjustments which includes for example (but not limited to) textphone, sign language, interpreter.

Patients are to be provided with advice on steps to take should they become more unwell, and "worsening advice" should also be given to those not eligible for any Covid medication. All patients should be provided with Covid infection control advice.

This service will be provided remotely.

It will operate for a minimum of 6-days per week throughout the year including morning and afternoon provision referred to as "core hours" in this specification, except for weeks where there is a normal UK national bank holiday (Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day). During the weeks when these bank holiday dates fall, the service may operate for a minimum of 5-days per week but must not be closed for more than 3 consecutive days. Closure dates must interface with Community Pharmacy.

The contract term will be for 2 years with an optional extension of any period up to 1 year.

The contract value is £110,000.00 per annum giving a contract value of £220,000.00 for the initial contract period and £330,000.00 if the full extension period is adopted.

The new service will commence on the 1st August 2025