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It is recommended that the Director for Public
Health and Communities grant permission to commence procurement of
a Flexible Open Framework for the Provision of Public Health
Services in Community Pharmacy via an open tender advertised on
Find a Tender and via the Council’s procurement web portal
‘The Chest’.

The proposed term of the framework is three
years, plus two optional 12-month extensions. The total value
across the maximum 5-year term is an estimated £0.745m. To
provide contingency against price fluctuations in the services
provided (including medicine and prescription costs) an additional
10% has been added to the total contract value for the purposes of
the Contract Notice. Therefore, the total value to be published in
the Contract Notice is £0.819m. The Framework will use a live
price review mechanism to allow the Council to amend pricing for
each individual Lot in line with national guidance and local Public
Health strategy. Any price amendments or incentives will only be
agreed following discussion between Public Health, Commissioning
and Finance officers at the Council. All Providers will be informed
of any price changes and a contemporaneous log will be maintained
throughout the framework term.
 

Reasons for the decision

Cumberland Council currently has contracts
with 50 pharmacies for the provision of a range of Public Health
Services. These are delivered as three Lots:

Lot 1:   Sexual Health services in the pharmacy
setting, including EHC
Lot 2:   Provision of Stop Smoking support
Lot 3:   Provision of Influenza vaccine to Council
staff (voucher scheme)

 
The current framework expires on
31st March 2024. In order to ensure continued access to
these vital services for the population of Cumberland,
authorisation is requested to begin procurement of a new
framework. 
 
The proposed framework will run for a
three-year term and have two optional 12-month extensions. The
total contract term would be 1st April 2024 to 31st
March 2029 at an estimated cost of £0.745m. Payment will be
made based on actual activity incurred by providers. The estimated
cost is calculated on current activity levels. The Framework will
continue to offer the three Lots outlined in 3.1. A dynamic payment
system will allow the Council to be responsive to national guidance
and local Public Health strategy.

A period of consultation was completed in July
2023 with all Community Pharmacies in Cumberland invited to be
involved. Feedback received suggests the current Framework is
adequately meeting the needs of the population, therefore
amendments to the current service specification and scope of the
Framework will be minor.
 
Public Health Officers were involved in the
facilitation of market engagement and will actively work with
Community Pharmacies to support training and networking
opportunities throughout the term of the Framework.
 

Alternative options considered

Option One (recommended):
Approve:
1) Permission to procure a Flexible Open Framework for the
Provision of Public Health Services in Community Pharmacies
comprising three Lots;
2) Agree a live price review mechanism to allow the Framework to be
responsive to national guidance and/or local public health
strategy.
 
Option Two: Approve permission to
procure a Flexible Open Framework for the Provision of Public
Health Services in Community Pharmacies, but not recommendation 2
as described in 4.1.
         
Option Three: Do not approve permission
to procure a Flexible Open Framework for the Provision of Public
Health Services in Community Pharmacies.