SMBC is looking to provide a comprehensive and highly integrated range of Occupational Health Services (OHS) and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) so that the Council is able to meet its common law and statutory duties of care for the health, safety and welfare of its employees in their working environment. The Council recognises that work can have an impact on employees’ health and wellbeing, and healthy and well-motivated employees can have a positive impact on the productivity and effectiveness of our service.

The Occupational Health Contractor will be required to provide the following essential Core Clinical Services:

— pre-employment medical checks,

— in-service referrals - assessment of fitness for continued employment,

— in-service referrals - specific types of assessment that may be required,

— counselling services, using cognitive-based therapy, and support in the event of trauma,

— case conferences/case management discussions,

— in-service health surveillance/referrals relating to workplace hazards,

— assessment of the occupational health risks of certain job roles and, if necessary, the immunisation requirements,

— risk assessment where employees are at a greater level of risk of blood borne viruses due to nature of the job role/medical condition,

— independent doctor assessments for the Local Government Pension Scheme,

— health and wellbeing promotion,

— MSK/physiotherapy services(’MSK Clinic’).

Optional services to be provided on an ad hoc basis – price to be based on an ‘as and when used’ basis:

— vaccinations, e.g. Hepatitis B,

— ergonomic assessments.

The employee assistance programme service will cover a range of areas including citizen advice style money advice and debt management, legal information and guidance, and a web site portal with interactive content and information, underpinned by good quality data and analysis. The Council will require provision of utilisation reports. The Contractor will be expected to liaise closely with the Council’s Occupational Health Service contractor and other stakeholders as necessary.

The EAP Contractor will be required to provide the following essential core services:

— 24-hour and 365 day telephone support, advice and telephone counselling services,

— assessment of needs,

— structured short-term psychological interventions delivered face to face,

— emergency appointments for trauma or bereavement,

— formal management referrals,

— management consultations,

— management information and reports,

— design and implementation of an effective programme launch and thereafter regular awareness initiatives,

— website information and services to support the EAP.

Additional services to be provided on an ad hoc basis as requested by the Council – The agreed fee to be invoiced via usual invoicing process when the services have been utilised:

— trauma support and design of critical incident plans,

— wellbeing initiatives.