The Healthy Child Programme - 0-19 years

Westmorland & Furness Council is advising of a contract award for The Healthy Child Programme 0-19 years after following the Competitive Process of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime 2023).

The 0-19 Healthy Child Programme (HCP) is the early intervention and prevention public

health programme that lies at the heart of universal service for children, young people, and

families at a crucial stage of life, including pre-conception. The 0-19 HCP’s universal reach

provides an invaluable opportunity to identify families that need additional support and

children who are at risk of poor outcomes.

The 0-19 HCP sets out the good practice framework for prevention and early intervention

services for children, young people and their families and recommends how health,

education and other partners working together across a range of settings can significantly enhance a child’s or young person’s life chances.

The Service will provide clinical leadership, co-ordination, and delivery of the 0-19 HCP

across the Westmorland and Furness Council footprint.

The Service sets out the good practice framework for prevention and early intervention

services for children, young people and their families and recommends how health,

education and other partners working together across a range of settings can significantly

enhance a child’s or young person’s life chances.

The current guidance for local government, the NHS, integrated care boards and other

partners inform local implementation of the healthy child programme framework. These

include evidence led approaches to:

• preconception care
• promoting child development
• improving child health outcomes
• ensuring that families at risk are identified at the earliest opportunity

Safeguarding responsibilities apply through all elements from identification of risk and need

to early help and targeted work, and formal child protection.

The COVID-19 pandemic raises specific considerations for childhood vulnerability and the

impact on their education, time with family and to their emotional health and wellbeing. The

Provider will act in accordance with the No child left behind - a public health informed

approach to improving outcomes for vulnerable children.

The service will utilise the DHSC Campaign Resource Centre in working with babies,

children, young people and families. Campaign Resource Centre (dhsc.gov.uk)

Decision to Award was undertaken by the Council's Director of Thriving Communities in agreement with Council Cabinet.

Reasons for selecting the chosen provider

The successful tenderer is Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust achieved the highest score against the key award criteria as set out in the tender documentation.

The Trust provided evidence of good quality HCP services and evidence to demonstrate that

they would be able to meet the transformational ambitions of the Healthy Child Programme

Specification in Westmorland & Furness.

No identified conflicts of interest