Provision of professional forensic medical and healthcare services to detainees within force custody suites. The service is required 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365/366 days a year and, presently, at five locations. The service may also be required at police stations and at scenes of sudden death.
Many police forces and NHS Local Area Teams in England are working towards the transfer of commissioning responsibility for healthcare in police custody from the Home Office to the Department of Health. The work of these Police/NHS Partnerships sits within the National Police Transition Programme.
The driver for the transfer of commissioning is the Bradley Review (2009), which found that police custody marks a crucial stage in the criminal justice pathway for identifying health and social need and providing access to appropriate treatment, care, diversion and referral. Bradley's recommendations to transfer commissioning of police healthcare to the NHS were accepted by the previous government under the “Improving Health, Supporting Justice” delivery plan and have been adopted by the coalition government. This contract supports the delivery plan, with the Healthcare Provider playing a key role in its achievement.
It is envisaged that if a legal transfer is effected, then the transfer of commissioning will take place in 2015. It is anticipated therefore that during the contract period, the commissioning authority will change from Merseyside Police to the NHS England Lancashire Area Team and the contract will be novated. Tenderers should note that healthcare services are now being commissioned in line with current clinical standards.
Because of the nature of police healthcare services, police forces and the NHS shall share contract governance and this will continue after the transfer of commissioning. The governance is through the Strategic Healthcare Joint Partnership Board, currently chaired by Chief Superintendent Carl Krueger, along with representatives from NHS England Lancashire Area Team and NHS England (Merseyside).