Provision of counselling services to CYP

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust has engaged in a public procurement process for the provision of counselling services targeted at children and young people (CYP) with low to medium levels of emotional and mental health issues. The procurement falls under the "Health and social work services" category and is situated in Merseyside, UKD7 region. The contract, valued at £588,426, was awarded on 26th February 2025 and is set to run from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2028.

The process employed was a direct award under the Health Care Services' Provider Selection Regime (PSR) Regime Regulations 2023, bypassing the usual public contract regulations due to an existing satisfactory provider relationship with St Joseph's Family Centre at Warrington, Cheshire. This contract was finalised without prior publication owing to it being outside the directive's scope. This procurement initiative represents significant opportunities for businesses involved in health and social services, particularly those with expertise in youth counselling and mental health.

Although this specific contract was directly awarded to an existing provider, future opportunities in the sector could be ideal for SMEs offering innovative and effective counselling solutions who can establish strategic partnerships and expand service capacity. Organisations focused on mental healthcare, particularly within the region, are poised to leverage similar opportunities to scale their operations, improve service delivery, and meet increasing demand in the public sector health industry.