07.04.17
Bidding opens for mammoth £6bn Manchester integrated LCO contract
Health leaders in Manchester have started the search for bidders for community-based services across the city under a huge £6bn contract.
In a document published by NHS Shared Business Services, ambitions to create a local care organisation (LCO) that operates through a ‘neighbourhood model’ were laid out, as previously reported by NHE, with emphasis placed on local population health & prevention of ill health, connecting to community assets and targeted care support tailored to individual needs.
Another central aim of the LCO is in joining up health and social care services more smoothly. Acute services, including low acuity non-surgical services, may be transferred to services within the LCO by as early as 2020-21.
The move is being adopted partially to ease pressure on struggling Manchester A&E units. NHE reported last month that despite an extra £5m in local health and care schemes, hospitals were still struggling to cope with winter demands.
Bidders for the LCO have also been asked to complete and submit a Qualification Questionnaire as well as indicate their proposed bidding model.
The report stated: “The LCO will have a critical co-ordination and cooperation role with system partners in order to contribute to substantial system financial pressures.
“To do this they will need to deliver sustainable, high-quality, safe and affordable prevention, primary, community, secondary health & social care services, through a blend of direct and sub-contracted provision.”
The process started on 1 April and will run through until 28 April.
Commissioners are now seeking responses from interested care providers who wish to deliver services set out in the prospectus for the LCO.
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