Provision of 111-2 Service

The development of a specialist all age mental health response via 111 is a key ambition of the NHS England Long Term Plan (2021-2024), and the recovery plan for urgent and emergency care priority for 2023/24. This required all calls for support during mental health crisis to be made via 111 by the end of March 2024 and is referred to as 111-2. Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) currently deliver this service in partnership with a system partner.

AWP will shortly be seeking a provider to deliver an integrated model for the NHS 111 Mental Health Crisis Response Service (111 Option 2) for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis across both adult (18 years and over) and children and young people (under 18 years) pathways. The appointed provider will be solely responsible for the delivery of the call handling element of the 111 Option 2 pathway, including access, triage and call management. AWP will retain responsibility for all clinical assessment activity and associated clinical decision-making and outcomes. The provider must be able to operate within a matrix management model, whereby all partners maintain responsibility for their own governance arrangements, professional standards and areas of specialist expertise, while working collaboratively at both strategic and operational leadership levels to deliver a seamless, integrated and high-quality service.

The service forms part of the NHS England requirement that callers contacting NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option are connected directly to a dedicated mental health response service available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The service will work collaboratively with urgent and emergency care pathways, crisis services, community mental health teams, acute hospitals, ambulance services, primary care and voluntary sector partners.

AWP are seeking to understand what interest there might be from providers and the barriers that may exist in providing these services.

All documents or information provided as part of this engagement exercise are in draft form only. The Commissioner reserves the right to amend or change any of the content.

Interested parties should note that a response to this Notice does not guarantee an automatic invitation to any subsequent formal process, which the Commissioner will consider in due course.