Market Sounding Exercise: Healthwatch

Leeds City Council is looking into a potential procurement option to put in place future contractual arrangements for suitably qualified and experienced organisations to deliver local Healthwatch services in Leeds. The Healthwatch service in Leeds helps people get the best out of their local health and social care services; whether it's improving them today or helping to shape them for tomorrow.

The Health and Care Act gives Healthwatch the right to scrutinise the system and challenge health and care organisations to ensure they engage with local communities and meet their needs. Local Healthwatch have a dual role in holding to account, acting as a 'Critical Friend' both of which require building and maintaining relationships and developing effective behaviours. Local Healthwatch in Leeds is required to:

• Work closely with the voluntary, public and private sectors to enable them to provide accessible, high-quality care based on patient/user feedback, evaluation, participation and research.
• Employ a partnership approach with key stakeholders and volunteers to applaud, challenge, question and review in the pursuit of best practice in health and social care, informed by the public's opinion.
• Contribute the local voice to the deliberations and strategy of the Health and Wellbeing Board and commissioning bodies.

The proposal for the new contract for Healthwatch in Leeds is for funding to remain at the level of PS 374,400 per annum. The proposed length of contract is for 7 years, with an option to extend for up to 3 years.

At this stage, the contract value and length date are estimated, and are subject to change following responses to the market sounding exercise, ongoing budgetary conversations across partners, and approval via the council's decision-making process.