Purpose

To approve Commissioning of North Northamptonshire Lifestyle Services

Decision

RESOLVED

KEY DECISION 

That the Executive:

a)            Delegated authority to the Director of Public Health, Communities and Leisure in consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Leisure and the Director of Finance to approve the procurement of an integrated Healthy Lifestyle Service, to commence from 1st April 2027, to be commissioned under the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 (“the Provider Selection Regime”) through an open competitive process.

b)            Delegated authority to the Director of Public Health, Communities and Leisure in consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Leisure and the Director of Finance to approve the commissioning of GP-delivered NHS Health Checks, to commence from 1st April 2027, under the Provider Selection Regime utilising Direct Award Process B.

c)             Delegated authority to the Director of Public Health, Communities and Leisure in consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Leisure and the Director of Finance to approve the commissioning of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) services, to commence from 1st April 2027, under the Provider Selection Regime utilising Direct Award Process B.

d)            Delegated authority to the Director of Public Health, Communities and Leisure in consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Leisure and the Director of Finance to award the contracts for: the integrated Healthy Lifestyle Service following completion of the open competitive procurement process; the GP-delivered NHS Health Checks under Direct Award Process B; and the contract(s) for Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) services under Direct Award Process B.

Reasons for Recommendations:

Statutory Duty: North Northamptonshire Council has a statutory responsibility under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and 2013 to reduce health inequalities and improve the health and wellbeing of its residents. This includes a requirement to ensure provision of health check assessments to the eligible population. Fulfilling these duties requires the continued delivery of all three health improvement services included within the recommendations.

Addressing identified need: the comprehensive health needs assessments identified high levels of population health needs and health inequalities. The recommendations aim to transform services to improve accessibility and reach.

Improving Public Health Outcomes: Health lifestyle services play a crucial role in improving public health outcomes by addressing the determinants of health and promoting healthy behaviours. Addressing lifestyle factors through tailored interventions can help in improving long-term health outcomes and reducing the prevalence of preventable diseases.

Effective Service Delivery: These recommendations will support timely commissioning processes to ensure that new contracts to deliver services will be in place for 1st April 2027, when existing contracts end. This will support adequate mobilisation of the new services and minimisation of any service disruption for residents.

Transparent commissioning: Commissioning under the Provider Selection Regime ensures compliance with current legislation and provides a transparent and proportionate route to market. The recommended approach balances deliverability, risk management and value for money within the Council’s ring-fenced Public Health Grant while enabling long-term service stability and improved population health outcomes.

Alternative Options Considered – The following alternative options were considered and rejected: Maintaining the current fragmented commissioning model with separate contracts and grant arrangements renewed independently;

Delivering the Healthy Lifestyle Service through an in-house Council-operated model;

Continuing existing arrangements for NHS Health Checks and LARC without recommissioning under the Provider Selection Regime.
 

These options were not recommended as they would not adequately address system fragmentation, would introduce greater delivery risk or delay, or would not align with legislative requirements and sector evidenced-based practice.