Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Reading Borough Council
Civic Offices,Bridge Street
READING
RG1 2LU
Contact
Wilma Grant
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKJ11 - Berkshire
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/readingbc/aspx/Tenders/Current
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/readingbc/aspx/Tenders/Current
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Regional or local authority
one.5) Main activity
General public services
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Independent Consumer Champion for Health & Social Care (Healthwatch) (2022) - Market Engagement
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Reading Borough Council are completing a Market Engagement exercise for the provision of an Independent Consumer Champion for Health & Social Care Services (commonly known as Healthwatch) prior to commencing a tendering process in the coming months. There will be an open forum event (hosted online) on October 15th at 10am for any interested stakeholders to attend to learn about our objectives and engage with the Council to inform our potential future design. Further details of the event will be issued closer to the time including full agenda and joining instructions.
Suppliers that would like to take part in this process are invited to "Express Interest" upon which they will be given access to the event delivered through this portal. Where available, documents can be accessed from the "My Tenders" area of this website by selecting the "View Details" button for the project.
Expressions of interest for the market engagement event will only be accepted until 13th October 2021 at 23:59. Any questions relating to this opportunity should be made via the correspondence link on this portal.
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ11 - Berkshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Contract Purpose:
To provide a seamless portal for the public and patients in Reading to allow them to find out what they need to know; understand what their choices are and how to act on them. To help resolve complaints and concerns about health and social care services; and act as a powerful local consumer voice for all aspects of health and social care.
Contract Vision:
Run by local people for local people. It will be the independent consumer champion for health & social care to enable people of all ages and from all backgrounds to enjoy high quality care and to understand their care choices.
This is a statutory service. (The Local Government & Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, which was amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2012t, outlines the main legal requirements for provision of Healthwatch. Each local authority has a duty to make provision for the delivery of Healthwatch statutory activity in their local area.)
The provider and their obligations
Healthwatch England was established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to understand the needs, experiences and concerns of people who use health and social care services and to speak out on their behalf. Local Healthwatch services are funded by and accountable to local authorities. Their main statutory functions are to: Obtain the views of people about their needs and experience of local health and social care services. Local Healthwatch make these views known to those involved in the commissioning and scrutiny of care services; Make reports and make recommendations about how those services could or should be improved; Promote and support the involvement of people in the monitoring, commissioning and provision of local health and social care services; Provide information and advice to the public about accessing health and social care services and the options available to them; Make the views and experiences of people known to Healthwatch England, helping us to carry out our role as national champion; Make recommendations to Healthwatch England to advise the CQC to carry out special reviews or investigations into areas of concern.
two.2.14) Additional information
This phase of the process does not constitute a formal tender or other competitive bidding process and will not result in the letting of a Contract. This market engagement event is solely to test the market to gather information, ascertain the level of interest and help shape our future requirements for the subsequent procurement
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
22 October 2021
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
Section six. Complementary information
six.3) Additional information
Please register on our portal in order to receive further information including event details and agenda