Purpose

The purpose of this report is
to seek approval, in accordance with Contract Procedure Rule 6.5.2
(iv) (Schedule 1), for the award of a
contract to Inspira Health Ltd for the Health Check Support Service from 1
April 2026 to 31 March 2028,
including options to
extend for an additional two twelve-month periods to a maximum of
31 March 2029.
 
The reason for the decision is
that a compliant procurement exercise has been undertaken in
accordance with Contract Procedure Rule 6 and the winning bidder
has been identified as providing the most advantageous offer to the
Council.
 

Decision

 
(i)     That, in
accordance with Contract Procedure Rule Schedule 1 6.5.2 (iv), a
contract be awarded to Inspira Health Ltd for the provision of a
Health Check Support Service from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2028, including options to extend for an additional one twelve-month period to a
maximum of 31 March 2029.
 
(ii)    That the Procurement Team be
authorised to make the necessary arrangements for the issue of the
relevant contract documentation.
 

Alternative options considered

Do Nothing:
This option was considered and
rejected because the Health Check Support Service offers valuable
support to the Knowsley GP’s delivering the NHS Health
Checks. Not having a health check support service can lead to
significant negative health outcomes for Knowsley residents. As
serious health conditions such as Hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes,
Heart Disease and Dementia can go undetected and undiagnosed. NHS
Health Checks also prevent underlying conditions from worsening
overtime, which could eventually lead to more complex medical
conditions and costly treatments later.
 
 
Regular health check-ups help
to assess risk and enable individuals to take preventative action
such as lifestyle change e.g. diet, exercise and quitting smoking.
A lack of standard operating procedures for NHS Health Checks could
lead to generic, unclear or inconsistent health advice, resulting
in increased patient confusion, stress and anxiety, and ultimately
leading to greater pressure on our mental health and wellbeing
services.
Knowsley’s most
vulnerable groups may also face greater barriers to accessing an
NHS Health Check, which will ultimately widen health inequalities
in Knowsley.
 

Deliver in House:
This option was considered and
rejected because setting up and delivering an in-house health check
support service can lead to significant and increased costs. Health
check support services also require specialist medical expertise,
and it could be difficult for the council to recruit and retain
accredited and experienced professionals in-house. Knowsley’s
most vulnerable groups may also face greater barriers to accessing
an NHS Health Check, which will ultimately widen health
inequalities in Knowsley. Additionally, it may be difficult for the
council to flex and scale up NHS health check delivery to meet both
local and national NHS health check delivery targets.