Provision of an Early Attachment Service

Location

Ashton under Lyne

Description

The Parent Infant Mental Health Service deliver face-to-face group support for parents with mild to moderate mental health needs and support the parent-infant relationship. The service also develops and delivers a training programme to support the skill and knowledge development of staff working within the Tameside Family Hubs and supervision for other services working with families with mild to moderate mental health needs, and parent-infant relationship needs.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85100000 - Health services

Indicators

• Award on basis of price.

Legal Justification

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust was commissioned by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council (TMBC) to deliver the mild to moderate needs expansion of the Parent Infant Mental Health Service. The contract commenced in February 2024 and is funded through the national Family Hubs and Healthy Babies grant funding. The current contract is due to end on the 28 February 2026. In November 2025, the Government announced further Family Hubs funding was available. The council then had to await the official award letter before going through an internal governance process to accept and award the funding. In these circumstances an Executive Decision is required, this process takes time. The process has commenced, the timescale for approval is 29 April 2026. As the contract is due to expire on 28 February and approval to accept and award the grant funding cannot be obtained until 29 April 2026 there will be a 9-week gap in service provision. Due to the nature of the service and the vulnerability of the families accessing the service a gap in service provision is not an option. Direct Award Process A was considered the best option in these circumstances due to the following reasons: • Pennine Care are the existing provider of the health care services to which the proposed contracting arrangements relate • Tameside Council are satisfied that the health care services to which the proposed contracting arrangements relate can only be provided by the existing provider (or group of providers) due to the nature of the health care services. - Nature of the Service: The service is a Parent Infant Mental Health Service, the families accessing the service are vulnerable - Accessibility of the service - The service is based in Tameside and delivered to local residents who live in Tameside. - Performance - The service is subject to quarterly contract performance reviews and has been assessed by the council as having a good performance track record - Risks - Families are currently accessing the service, a break in service could result in people dropping out of the service/safeguarding issues. • Direct award process A is not being used to conclude a framework agreement.