Decision details

To ensure that Oldham residents have access to appropriate
and effective HIV/STI testing and treatment services and that
Oldham has HIV prevention and support provision in place.

The purpose of the report is to request approval to enter a
collaboration commissioning agreement (under a
Memorandum of Understanding), with all 10 GM Local
Authorities, for the delivery of HIV prevention and support
services, also known as Greater Manchester Sexual Health
Improvement Programme (GMSHIP).

RESOLVED - That:
Option C: Approve to enter into the collaboration
commissioning agreement to continue the partnering
arrangements, with Manchester City Council as lead
commissioning authority, for a period of 36 months.

Option 1 - To not enter into the collaboration commissioning
agreement. Therefore, Oldham will no longer contribute to the
GM commission and the provision of HIV prevention services
for Oldham residents is discontinued.

This is not a viable option as there is a reputational risk as
the Council has previously agreed to work in partnership with
all GM Local Authorities in the procurement of sexual health
services. There is also a risk of destabilising the wider GM
Sexual and Reproductive Health system if one locality
withdraws from the GM commissioning arrangement.

This decision would also be unsupportive of the GM
Population Health Plan’s objective to scale up the response
to HIV eradication; through the prevention of onward
transmission of HIV, both through earlier diagnosis and
identification of undiagnosed people living with HIV.

Option 2 - Proceed to market to procure the provision of a
comprehensive GM-wide HIV Prevention Programme for a
new service to be in place by 1 July 2024.

This is not a recommended option. Manchester City Council,
on behalf of GM, has undertaken a review and considered
commissioning options to continue service provision as part
of a waiver, resulting in the proposal to award a new contract
for three years to continue the ongoing delivery of the service
by the current providers, as set out in the report below. The
review undertaken concludes that the GM Sexual Health
Improvement Programme is delivered by unique providers
(The PASH Partnership) with specialist knowledge and
skillset, and that there are no appropriate alternative
providers with the knowledge and skills to deliver the service,
hence no alternative routes to the market.

In support of the award of the GMSHIP contract to the three
current providers, Regulation 32 of PCR allows a direct
award of a contract without publication (a direct award) in the
following circumstances:
“(b) (ii) where the works, supplies or services can be supplied
only by a particular economic operator …. (because)
competition is absent for technical reasons”. The benefits of
the PaSH programme as described above is dependent on its
unique providers of the specialist services across the city,
which would permit the use of the Reg 32 exemption.
All of the other GM localities are in the process of seeking
agreement via their internal governance to enter into the new
collaboration agreement, with Manchester City Council,
acting as the lead commissioning authority.


Option 3 - Approve to enter into the collaboration
commissioning agreement to continue the partnering
arrangements, with Manchester City Council as lead
commissioning authority, for a period of 36 months.

This is the recommended option and will ensure that the provision of HIV prevention and support services for Oldham residents continues. This will also ensure that we meet our mandated and non-mandated
responsibilities around HIV/STI testing, treatment, prevention
and support and that there is equity of access and provision
across all of the GM localities.

non