Better Care Fund VCSE Integrated Wellbeing Pathways SC, HI & W/2025/93

Stoke on Trent City Council and NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board are commissioning Better Care Fund funded integrated wellbeing pathways for adults aged 18 and over in Stoke-on-Trent. The opportunity is aimed at providers within the local Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector.

For this procurement, Better Care Fund funding will support community wellbeing, independence, hospital discharge, recovery at home and the prevention of avoidable admissions or readmissions. The procurement has two active lots. Lot 1, Community Support and Development, has a maximum net value of £1,426,410 and an approximate annual value of £285,282.

At least £30,000 each year is ring-fenced for its community development approach. It covers responsive short-term wellbeing support, mainly through home visits, support for people who are isolated, vulnerable or at risk, links into community and statutory services, and development of sustainable local support networks. Lot 2 has a maximum net value of £1,360,000 and an approximate annual value of £272,000.

A nominal £105,000 each year is ring-fenced for this approach. The structured lot data calls it Integrated Hospital Discharge and Neighbourhood Development Pathway, while the notice narrative calls it Integrated Hospital Discharge and Neighbourhood Support Pathway. Both descriptions concern the same Lot 2 service: coordinated hospital discharge, rapid access to community and Personal Health Budget support, post-discharge follow-up and neighbourhood VCFSE capacity.

Bidders should use the ProContract documents to confirm the operative lot label in their submission. The maximum procurement value is £2,786,410 excluding VAT and £3,343,692 including VAT. The initial contract term runs from 1 July 2027 through 30 June 2030.

The council may use two optional one-year extensions, subject to funding, taking the maximum term to 30 June 2032. Both lots are marked suitable for SMEs and VCSE organisations. The public notice welcomes submissions from individual organisations, partnerships, consortia and lead provider with subcontractor arrangements.

Providers need strong local community and referral links, collaborative working experience, the ability to share outcomes and performance, and capacity for a responsive seven-day service. Successful providers across the two lots will be expected to work together as one pathway. The clarification deadline is 25 November 2026 at 12:00 GMT.

Electronic tenders must be submitted by 27 November 2026 at 20:00 GMT through the Stoke on Trent City Council ProContract portal linked from the official notice. New suppliers can register free on ProContract. The public notice does not state a CQC registration or another professional registration requirement, so bidders should check the procurement documents for all selection, exclusion and evidence requirements before submitting.

Care Sync advice: create or verify your ProContract account early, download the current documents, decide which lot and bidding structure fit your organisation, and raise any evidence questions before the clarification deadline. Do not submit through Find a Tender or a commercial listing, because the official notice names ProContract as the electronic submission route.