Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
NHS BRISTOL, NORTH SOMERSET AND SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE INTEGRATED CARE BOARD
Floor 2, North Wing, 100 Temple Street
Bristol
BS16AG
scwcsu.scwprocurement.bnssg@nhs.net
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKK11 - Bristol, City of
Justification for not providing organisation identifier
Not on any register
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://atamis-1928.my.site.com/s/Welcome
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Health
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
Discharge to Assess Short-term Rehabilitation / Reablement Beds
Reference number
C365515
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
1) This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Integrated Care Board (ICB), (the Commissioner's), intention to recommission Discharge to Assess, short-term rehabilitation and assessment beds. The Commissioner would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services.
2) BNSSG is seeking to secure a single or potentially several providers who have the capability and capacity to deliver bedded and therapy services, in line with the draft service specification provided.
BNNSG would also be interested in hearing from Providers who can only provide the appropriate bedded environment (minimum 12 beds persite) and care support where our community providers could deliver therapy.In this case, we would ask for facilities within the estate for the therapy team to be based on site. Appropriate estate would include single rooms of a size to provide therapy within and where available appropriate bariatric support.
3) BNSSG are potentially looking for up to 48 beds across providers with no less than 12 beds per site across the BNSSG footprint. Lots may be created based on alignment with Local Authority areas.
4) The contract is expected to commence on 1st April 2026 for a term of 2 years and an option to extend for a further 12 months up to 31st March 2029.
5) Any provider will need to have or be able to describe an appropriate intended estate and demonstrate an ability to support and provide therapy to a broad range of complex needs including dementia and bariatric placements that will be dedicated to this provision of Discharge to Assess patients.
6) Demand and capacity modelling is being constantly monitored, and additional bedded capacity may be required as system pressures dictate. Opportunities for spot purchasing within the same estate would be advantageous.
7) The overall financial envelope for the delivery of the contract(s) is expected to be £3.77m per annum, totalling £11.31m over the potential 3-year term.
8) Interested parties should register their interest formally via the Atamis portal (link provided below) no later than 12:00 Friday 30th June 2025.
This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £11,310,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKK1 - Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
1. This notice is placed as a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to inform the market of BNSSG Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) (the Commissioner's), intention to recommission Discharge to Assess (D2A) Pathway 2, Rehabilitation bed base. The Commissioner would like to understand the level of provider interest in delivering these services.
2. BNSSG ICB (the Commissioner) is seeking to secure providers across the BNSSG geographical area with the capability and capacity to deliver short-term reablement/rehabilitation services, complex discharge planning and nursing and care support for service users identified as medically fit for discharge from the care of acute partners but still require rehabilitation in a bedded setting.
BNNSG would also be interested to hear from Providers who could only provide the appropriate bedded environment (Minimum 12 beds /site) and care support where our community providers could deliver therapy, we would ask for facilities within the estate for the therapy team to be based on site. Appropriate estate would include single rooms of a size to provide therapy within and where available appropriate bariatric support.
3. These services will be overseen and supported by the commissioned system Community Provider (Sirona) who provides the majority of this service.
D2A pathways are designed for people who are clinically optimized and no longer have criteria to reside in an acute hospital bed but may still require care services. The term 'medical optimization' is the point at which care, and assessment can be continued in a non-acute setting.
This service is targeted at providing short-term care for those people who require rehabilitation or complex discharge planning in a community setting to promote independence and manage timely discharge for the person to return to their usual place of residence or an appropriate location to meet any on-going needs.
The majority of service users supported through this contract will be expected to receive a rehabilitation service provided on the basis of a comprehensive assessment, resulting in a structured individual plan of care that involves active therapy, treatment, or opportunity for recovery. NHSE guidelines for Therapy provision for the frailty cohort are 3hrs face to face therapy per week in addition to a 24hr rehabilitation approach provided by the wider MDT.
The Scope of the D2A Service Specification is: (see draft specification for full scope and eligibility)
a. D2A P2 services in appropriately registered reablement centres, and nursing homes for adults according to the needs of the person.
b. People who reside in BNSSG.
c. Registered with a BNSSG GP.
d. Specific outcomes that can be delivered by goal-based care planning within an agreed period of no more than 21 days working to the same 'HomeFirst' principals as acute partners where a person should be supported to return home as soon as the needs can be met by Pathway 1, or alternative discharge pathway.
e. A medical condition that can be managed by a GP in primary care.
f. The provider shall ensure that appropriate, trained staff resources are available to support the delivery of the P2 service in a bedded environment. These will include therapists to provide the full range of P2 rehabilitation services.
4. The contract is expected to commence on 1st April 2026 for a term of 2 years and an option to extend for a further 12 months up to 31st March 2029.
5. Focus on outcomes and flow to support system objectives are key and as such the utilisation of a Management Information System will be expected to support service development (see Draft Specification).
6. There is a growing need for the availability of bariatric services within this pathway and as such it will be expected that any offer of bariatric beds will be ringfenced for people within this service to ensure regular availability. Where this service is offered, the provider will be expected to provide all relevant equipment associated with this speciality.
7. TUPE will not apply
8. The system is constantly learning and responding to changes in demand and capacity. Any system evolution impacting this service will be supported through regular contractual meetings.
9. The overall financial envelope for the delivery of the contract(s) is expected to be £3.77m per annum, totalling £11.31m over the potential 3-year term.
10. Interested parties should register their interest formally via the Atamis portal (link provided below) no later than 12:00 Friday 30th June 2025.
This exercise is being carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioner.
two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice
1 March 2026
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
This notice is an information gathering exercise rather than a call for competition in its own right, and therefore publication or response does not commit the Authority or respondents to a future procurement, nor provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. The Authority will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise.
Interested providers will be able to view this opportunity via the live opportunities list on the 'Health Family' e-procurement system, Atamis. Click on 'View our Live Opportunities' from the home page, available on the following link: https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome.
Once you have found the opportunity (via the search function, using the title (Discharge to Assess Short term Rehabilitation Beds) or reference number (C365515 ), to gain full access to the relevant information and market engagement questionnaire, you will need to click on 'Register interest' - this will take you to the log-in page.
If you are not already registered on the system, you will need to do so before gaining full access to the documentation and to be able to submit your expression of interest / market engagement questionnaire.
This is a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) prior information notice. The contract is subject to the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Procurement Act 2023 does not apply.