Issue - meetings

To seek approval to extend the Parent Infant Mental Health Service (PIMHS) as part of the Family Hubs and Best Start in Life offer.

Members of the Governance, Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board scrutinised a report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services, which advised that the Council currently commissioned Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust to deliver the Parent Infant Mental Health Service (PIMHS) as part of the Family Hubs and Best Start in Life offer. The current contract expired on 6^th January 2027 and contained no option to extend. The service was performing well and provided specialist clinical support for vulnerable families. To ensure continuity of service delivery and to retain the skilled clinical workforce, it was proposed that the Council undertakes a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Direct Award Process C. This was considered the most appropriate procurement route for a health-based service of this nature. Awarding a further one-year contract would avoid disruption to families accessing the service and provide time to review and develop longer-term commissioning arrangements, taking account of the confirmation of Best Start in Life grant funding through to 2029.

The report presented three Options:

Option 1 (preferred Option) – To approve the completion of a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Direct Award Process C for the Parent Infant Mental Health Service for a period of one year from 7^th January 2027 to 6^th January 2028, at a total value of £261,000.00 and to approve the use of Best Start in Life funding to support the contract award.  Under this Option, delegate authority to the Executive Director of Children’s Services, was sought to award the contract following the successful completion of the PSR process.

Option 2 – To allow the current contract to expire on 6 January 2027 and not to consider future commissioning arrangements.

Option 3 – To undertake a full competitive tender process.

Resolved:

1. That the Governance, Strategy and Resources Scrutiny Board, endorses the recommendations detailed in the submitted report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services to:

a.    Approve the completion of a Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Direct Award Process C for the Parent Infant Mental Health Service for a period of one year from 7 January 2027 to 6 January 2028, total value of £261,000.00.

b.    Approve the use of Best Start in Life funding to support the contract award. 

c.     Delegate authority to the Executive Director of Children and Young People to award the contract following the successful completion of the PSR process.

2. Requests that the Group Leaders meeting concurs, thereby enabling the Chief Executive to formally approve the recommendations in the report.