Issue - meetings

Cllr Nick Housden sought Cabinet approval to conduct a competitive procurement process for the purpose of awarding a contract for the provision of a mental wellbeing helpline for adults, which will incorporate support for self-harm.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Delegate authority to the Director of Public Health in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities to:

1. conduct a competitive procurement process in respect of a contract for the supply of a mental wellbeing helpline for adults, incorporating support for selfharm. The proposed contract shall continue for an initial period of 3 years and include options to extend its term for two further periods of up to 2 years on each of its third and fifth anniversaries;

2. award such contract to the preferred tenderer;

3. determine whether to exercise the option to extend the term of such

contract for a further period of not more than 2 years on the expiry of the

initial 3-year term;

4. determine whether to exercise the option to extend the term of such

contract again for a further period of not more than 2 years on its fifth

anniversary.

Cllr Nick Housden sought Cabinet approval to conduct a competitive procurement process for the purpose of awarding a contract for the provision of a mental wellbeing helpline for adults, which will incorporate support for self-harm.

The promotion of good mental health and wellbeing is a priority in the Gloucestershire Health and Wellbeing Strategy and need for mental health support has increased nationally and locally.

The proposed new service would continue some of the temporary mental health support which the Council commissioned to help respond to the impact of the pandemic on mental health. Additional funding was approved for this purpose in the council budget. The funding would be used to provide open access support to people experiencing mild-moderate mental health issues, like anxiety or stress. It would address a gap in the county in the provision of early intervention mental health support which can be accessed anonymously without the need for a referral or appointment.

Some of the funding had already been invested in a new mental health helpline for children and young people (CYP) called TIC+Chat. Cabinet approval was sought to invest the remainder of the new funding in a new mental wellbeing helpline for over 18s.

The Council already commissioned a similar helpline to provide support for self-harm. The contract for the ‘Gloucestershire Self-Harm Helpline’ (SHHL) would  end in March 2023. The stand-alone service for self-harm would not be recommissioned and instead it was proposed that support for self-harm would be integrated into the new adult mental wellbeing helpline to provide a single joined up offer. 

There was strong support in the public consultation. 569 people responded and c.90% agreed with the proposed new helpline.

Having considered all of the information, Cabinet noted the report and

RESOLVED to:

Delegate authority to the Director of Public Health in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities to:

1. conduct a competitive procurement process in respect of a contract for the supply of a mental wellbeing helpline for adults, incorporating support for selfharm. The proposed contract shall continue for an initial period of 3 years and include options to extend its term for two further periods of up to 2 years on each of its third and fifth anniversaries;

2. award such contract to the preferred tenderer;

3. determine whether to exercise the option to extend the term of such

contract for a further period of not more than 2 years on the expiry of the

initial 3-year term;

4. determine whether to exercise the option to extend the term of such

contract again for a further period of not more than 2 years on its fifth

anniversary.