Forensic Medical & Healthcare Services

This is a Contract Award Notice The provision of Forensic Medical & Healthcare Services to Cheshire Constabulary/Police & Crime Commissioner for Cheshire to provide healthcare interventions and forensic examinations on victims, suspects, witnesses and police personnel.

Within custody suites, the Service will also provide a clinical assessment of a Service User's fitness for detention, interview, charge and release in accordance with PACE and the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice (APP) on Detention and Custody. The service requirements also includes interventions required for Test on Arrest. Developing and maintaining referral pathways is a key requirement.

The Service will provide a safe, reliable, effective, efficient and timely clinical and forensic medical and healthcare service response on a 24-hour/7-day-per-week 365/366-days-per-year basis, via a single point of contact/call centre through which the force can request a healthcare intervention. The provider will be required to have an electronic system connected to the NHS Summary Care Record.

The strategic aims of the Service are to improve health outcomes for Service Users in the criminal justice system and to contribute to the reduction of offending and/or escalation of offending behaviours by means of providing a high quality, safe, effective and best value service.

The service provider must assist in the gathering and supply of evidence for presentation at Court within scope of healthcare services including, but not limited to, obtaining blood and intimate samples, the provision of evidence of opinion in relation to injuries sustained and the provision of professional advice.

The contract will be for an initial period of 4 years commencing on 1st April 2024 with the initial term ending 31st March 2028. The options to extend will take the contract to a maximum expiry of 31st March 2031. The values shown in this notice relate to the lowest for the funding for one year up to the estimated value for the maximum contract term.

A standstill period was observed between 13/10/2023 - 23/10/2023 inclusive