CONTRACT NOTICE – NATIONAL

1 Authority Details

1.1

Authority Name and Address

1.2

Address from which documentation may be obtained

1.3

Completed documents must be returned to:

2 Contract Details

2.1

Title

PROVISION OF OSCE TRAINING FOR OVERSEAS NURSES COMMENCING EMPLOYMENT IN BCUHB

2.2

Description of the goods or services required

Nursing makes up a major part of the BCUHB workforce, with 5850 posts currently established across the organisation. Nursing impacts every area of the Health Board, both in terms of geographical locations and clinical services. The Health Board are continuing to explore all available options to ensure that our nursing workforce is robust and resilient for the coming years. Overseas nurse recruitment is a tried and tested method to improve our vacancy rate and improve the quality and safety of the care we provide to patients across all clinical specialities and geographical regions of the Health Board.

The Health Board is recruiting 30 nurses through an all-Wales recruitment drive, Once for Wales. The pipeline of nurses recruited is expected to commence from May 2022 and will result in 10 nurses per month over a 3-month period. Depending on how successful our overseas recruitment campaigns are, there may be a possibility of additional recruitment via this campaign.

Additionally, the Health Board are extending an existing Business case to recruit 300 general nurses and 80 mental health/learning disability nurses to fill vacancies across all geographical locations and clinical specialties within the Health Board. The majority of these nurses will be general nurses, but there will also be some specialist recruitment for mental health and learning disabilities nurses. BCUHB anticipate that the Mental Health and Learning Disability Nurses will be OSCE ready. Interviewing and selection is expected to take up to Quarter 4 2022-23, with the final candidates relocating to North Wales by Quarter 2 2023-24.

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) regulates the nursing and midwifery profession in the UK. To safeguard the public the NMC set standards for education to ensure those on the NMC register have the rights skills and qualities before they commence employment in the UK. Trained nurses and midwives must apply for registration with the NMC in order to work in the UK.

The NMC introduced the test of competence (ToC) for overseas nurses and midwives, to ensure safe and effective practise in the UK. The ToC assess candidates’ skills in both theory-based and practical settings. All candidates must be able to demonstrate that their skills, knowledge and behaviours are at the level required to meet the NMC pre- registration nursing or midwifery standards for the UK. All overseas applicants must pass a test of competence to be registered to work in the UK

NOTE: The authority is using eTenderwales to carry out this procurement process. To obtain further information record your interest on Sell2Wales at https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/search_switch.aspx?ID=121872

2.3

Notice Coding and Classification

2.4

Total quantity or scope of tender

Tender Requirements

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a practical examination which forms the second part of the NMC test of competence, and therefore the Health Board requires OSCE education provision to enable overseas nurses to be trained to undertake the OSCE test and subsequent NMC registration. BCUHB intend to use a blended approach of internal OSCE training (subject to staffing resources) and externally provided OSCE training.

Timescales

OSCE education provision will be required July 2022 onwards, subject to agency recruitment timescales. We would anticipate the successful bidder being in place for a year and will include a potential twelve month extension.

Educational provision

Bidders must indicate how they meet the following, which are essential for delivery:

-Provisions of all OSCE stations (ToC21) inclusive of APIE (Adult and Mental Health OSCE curriculum) to enable candidates assessed on a range of skills at each station

-Facility that can simulate a clinical environment

-Appropriately equipped environment with identical AEI examination resources

-Teams facility set up to record skill stations

-Offer a flexible approach to educational delivery including face to face and virtual learning of full programme

-Access to library resources and facilities as an integral aspect of the resulting award.

-Provide mock examinations/scenarios (in accordance with NMC standards) and feedback for candidates

-Full written feedback to be provided on individual engagement with training and MOCK outcome

-Relevant experience, education and professional qualifications of staff employed in provision of OSCE training

-OSCE content must be regularly reviewed and refreshed to ensure the validity, reliability, security and quality in line with NMC standards

-Ensuring sufficient capacity and capability exists to deliver educational programme.

-Provide ongoing support for any failing candidate to enable achievement of OSCE by 3rd attempt.

-Supporting candidate to appeal a decision received.

Bidders must provide detail of the following within their proposal:

-Proposed timetable for OSCE educational programme including study hours (and whether virtual, face to face, simulation, prerequisite

-Evidence of current OSCE education provision and % pass rates per 1000 candidates (first, second, third attempt)

-Evidence of current feedback from learners

-Support available for students who have failed OSCE test and require additional educational sessions

Quality

Bidders must provide detail of the following:

-Organisational structure demonstrating lines of responsibility and accountability for delivery of educational content and contract

-Frequency of information that will be provided to the Health Board on:

-student attendance including non or poor attendance

-student progress on the OSCE course

-student and module evaluations

-Proposed process for escalation of concerns relating to students/and or educational provision

Costs

Bidders are required to indicate details of costs per nurse for OSCE provision (inclusive of teaching, educational resources, mock examination, feedback, support if candidate fails OSCE test)

3 Conditions for Participation

3.1

Minimum standards and qualification required

4 Administrative Information

4.1

Type of Procedure

Single stage

4.2

Reference number attributed to the notice by the contracting authority

BCU-OJEU-50515

4.3

Time Limits

4.5

Language or languages in which tenders or requests to participate can be drawn up

4.6

Tender Submission Postbox

5 Other Information

5.1

Additional Information

(WA Ref:121872)

The buyer considers that this contract is suitable for consortia bidding.

5.2

Additional Documentation

5.3

Publication date of this notice