Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Medway Council
Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road
Chatham
ME4 4TR
Contact
Mr James Welch
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKJ41 - Medway
Internet address(es)
Main address
Buyer's address
https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via
https://www.kentbusinessportal.org.uk/
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
Provision of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Assessments
Reference number
DN751767
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 85000000 - Health and social work services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
Medway Council is seeking a single provider for the provision of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) assessments. The purpose of this service is to organise, complete and return the assessments, required for DoLS under the Mental Capacity Act (2014. These assessments must be carried out by a Section 12 registered doctor and returned to the Council within a set timeframe.
Full details of the requirement are available in the tender documents available to download from the Kent Business Portal.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,323,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ41 - Medway
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Medway Council is seeking a single provider for the provision of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) assessments. The purpose of this service is to organise, complete and return the assessments, required for DoLS under the Mental Capacity Act (2014. These assessments must be carried out by a Section 12 registered doctor and returned to the Council within a set timeframe.
By way of background, the Mental Capacity Act (2005) is amended by the 2007 amendments to the Mental Health Act (1983) to include the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), implemented on 1 April 2009. The safeguards provide legal protection for vulnerable people who are, or may become, deprived of their liberty in a hospital or care home. They apply to people who have a mental disorder and who are assessed as lacking capacity to consent to the arrangements made for their residence, care or treatment. The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards require hospitals and care homes (Managing Authorities) to apply to the Supervisory Body (in this case, Medway Council) for an authorisation to deprive the relevant person of their liberty. Before an authorisation is issued, the Supervisory Body must ensure that six assessments are completed. The assessments are undertaken by a Best Interests Assessor for DoLS (BIA) and a Section 12 mental health approved DoLS trained doctor as follows:
The six assessments, and the person responsible for completing each assessment, are as follows:
1. Age (The relevant person must be over the age of 18 years) - BIA
2. Mental Capacity - BIA
3. No Refusals - BIA
4. Mental Health – Section 12 doctor
5. Eligibility - Section 12 doctor, or BIA who is Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) qualified
6. Best Interests - BIA
The Mental Capacity (Deprivation of Liberty: Standard Authorisations, Assessments and Ordinary Residence) Regulations 2008 require that the person undertaking the Mental Health assessment must be:
a. approved under section 12 of the Mental Health Act 1983, or
b. a registered medical practitioner who the Supervisory Body is satisfied has three years post registration experience in the diagnosis or treatment of mental disorder.
The supervisory body must also be satisfied that the person has successfully completed the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Mental Health Assessors training programme made available by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Except in the 12 month period beginning with the date that the doctor has successfully completed the standard training, the regulations for England also require the Supervisory Body to be satisfied that the doctor has, in the 12 months prior to selection, completed further training relevant to their role as a mental health assessor.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 60%
Price - Weighting: 40%
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Duration in months
36
This contract is subject to renewal
Yes
Description of renewals
The term of the contract will be initially for 3 years with 3 further options to extend for 2 years, (3 years, plus 2 + 2 + 2 years).
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: No
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: Yes
Description of options
The term of the contract will be initially for 3 years with 3 further options to extend for 2 years, (3 years, plus 2 + 2 + 2 years).
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Open procedure
four.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement
Framework agreement with a single operator
In the case of framework agreements, provide justification for any duration exceeding 4 years:
The framework is for an initial period of three years, with three options to extend by two years. DoLS was due to be replaced by the Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) during the last parliament, but the legislation was not cleared before the change of government. The new government has not yet outlined its stance on LPS, and so this legislation is currently on hold. The additional extensions of this contract provide scope to have a contract in place for up to two parliamentary terms, which should be sufficient time for the proposed legislation to be reviewed, revised, consulted upon, and receive royal ascent.
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
3 January 2025
Local time
3:00pm
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders
Date
3 January 2025
Local time
3:00pm
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Medway Council
Chatham
Country
United Kingdom