Purpose

Directors are authorised to take executive
decisions in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation to Officers
with a value up to £500,000.

Suicide is the most common killer of men under 50 years in the UK
(Office National Statistics ). Males aged 45-49 years were found to
have the highest suicide rate in England (25.3 per 100,000) .
Evidence also shows that men are less likely to seek support for
their mental health early and are more likely to reach crisis. Only
36% of all NHS referrals in England for psychological therapies
(such as talking therapies) are for men. This programme aims to
raise awareness of mental health provision and bring the
conversation of men’s mental health into communities
promoting early intervention and support to reduce men requiring
more intensive crisis.

To achieve Sandwell’s Suicide Prevention Strategy 2022-25
ambition of zero suicides in Sandwell by 2030 we need to support
men earlier to tackle the barriers for men accessing mental health
provision and deliver a targeted community-based programme to meet
the needs and aspirations of men living and working in
Sandwell.

To contribute to Sandwell’s Better Mental Health Strategy
2024-2029 vision for every resident of Sandwell to have the best
mental health that they possibly can, at every stage of their life.
The preventative nature of this programme will support this
vision.

We successfully delivered two Better Mental Health projects to
support men from 2021- 2024 engaging with 2,117 men. By learning
from these projects and through the public consultation with men
from August-October 2024, we know there is a continued need to
offer targeted community men’s mental health support as there
is limited provision with this specific purpose.

The Men’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Community Programme
will contribute to the priorities of the Council Plan 2024-27 and
achieve Public Health’s purpose to protect and promote the
health of Sandwell. This programme aims to improve mental health
for Sandwell men working together with our local communities to
make a difference to help change people’s lives for the
better.

Content

(1) That approval is given to procure and
award a contract to the successful bidder of the Sandwell
Men’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Community Programme. The
programme would begin in 2025 for a period of 2 years and will
offer a community-based preventative programme of activities to
improve the mental health and wellbeing of men living and working
in Sandwell.

(2) That approval be given to allocate finance under the Public
Health ring-fenced grant, of £80,000 per year (£96, 000
including VAT) for a two-year programme with a total budget of
£160,000 (£192,000 including VAT).

(3) That the approval be given to enter into and execute, under
seal as may be required, any contracts or ancillary documentation
in relation to the award of contract referred to in recommendation
(1) above.

(4) That approval be given to implement necessary variations to the
Contract up to a maximum of 10% of the Contract value, should they
be necessitated.

(5) That approval from the appropriate officer is sought to
authorise an exemption to rule 8.11 of the Procurement and Contract
Procedure Rules 2022 to allow a contract to be awarded to a
successful tenderer in the event that the required minimum number
of tenders are not received.