NHS Talking Therapies and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems

Location

Southend and Castle Point and Rochford

Description

NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (the Authority) is awarding this contract to the incumbent provider under Regulation 14 of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) 2023 due to urgent circumstances arising from delays to an ongoing procurement process. A direct award is required to avoid a service gap and ensure continuity of essential mental health services. Further detail on the justification for this urgent award is set out in Section II.2.4.

Total Quantity or Scope

NHS Essex Integrated Care Board (the Authority) is awarding this contract for the provision of NHS Talking Therapies and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems, delivering evidence-based interventions via face-to-face, online, and telephone consultations to support individuals experiencing mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression. In accordance with Regulation 14 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, the Authority has made an urgent award to the incumbent provider due to an immediate and compelling need to maintain continuity of service, and the inability to complete a competitive process within the required timescales without significant risk. The decision to award to the incumbent provider is justified on the following grounds: The ongoing procurement process has been delayed. Further delay to service provision would create a real and unacceptable risk of interruption to essential mental health services, adversely impacting vulnerable service users. The urgency of need means there is insufficient time to recommence or complete a new selection process without jeopardising patient care. • Transitioning to a new provider would necessitate a substantial mobilisation period, including workforce onboarding, governance alignment and clinical integration. This cannot be achieved within the necessary timeframe to avoid a service gap, and therefore no alternative provider could deliver the services safely and effectively at the point required. • The incumbent provider maintains established therapeutic relationships, care pathways and clinical knowledge of current service users. Disruption to these arrangements would present a significant risk to patient safety, service stability and clinical outcomes, particularly for individuals with complex mental health needs. • The current provider has the immediate operational capacity, workforce, infrastructure and clinical expertise to continue delivering the service without interruption. This ensures compliance with the requirement under Regulation 14 to secure services quickly and safely in response to urgency. • The urgent award represents a proportionate response to exceptional circumstances, intended only to maintain continuity of provision while the Authority resolves the delayed procurement process and implements a compliant longer-term commissioning solution. The contract will run for a fixed term of 12 months commencing 1st April 2026 and ending 31st March 2027, with no option to extend. This timeframe enables the newly formed NHS Essex Integrated Care Board to complete the ongoing procurement for an Essex-wide service. The total estimated contract value is £5,904,432.00.

Award Detail

Award Criteria

CPV Codes

• 85323000 - Community health services

Indicators

• Award on basis of price.

Legal Justification

This contract has been awarded without prior publication in accordance with Regulation 14 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023, due to extreme urgency. The urgency arises from delays to an ongoing procurement process, creating a risk of a service gap affecting vulnerable mental health service users. The Authority has determined that it is not possible to complete a competitive process within the required timescales and that no alternative provider could be mobilised safely in time. The award to the incumbent provider ensures continuity of care and mitigates risks to patient safety. Full details of the justification are set out in Section II.2.4.

Other Information

This contract has been awarded under the urgent circumstances provision of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) 2023 (Regulation 14). The provisions of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Procurement Act 2023 do not apply to this award. This notice has been published within 30 days of contract signature. Details of the justification for the urgent award are provided in Section II.2.4. Details of Decision Makers: Essex Joint Committee, 22 January 2026 Finance and Performance meeting, 9 January 2026 - Virtual Approval Finance and Performance meeting, 6 Jan 2026 ICB Proposed Essex Executive Committee, 2 December 2025 The Authority has undertaken an appropriate and proportionate review of declarations and is satisfied that effective arrangements are in place to identify and manage any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest. Where relevant, mitigation measures have been applied to ensure that no conflict is capable of conferring any undue advantage or disadvantage. On this basis, the Authority is satisfied that no conflict of interest has adversely affected, or is capable of adversely affecting, the integrity of the procurement.