II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
85100000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKH3
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Market Engagement Event: TT & PTSMHP
Service Summary
Mid and South Essex, North East Essex and West Essex, Integrated Care Boards — to be succeeded by the proposed new Essex ICB from 1 April 2026 — intend to commission Talking Therapies and Psychological Therapies for Severe Mental Health Problems (PT‑SMHP). The commissioned services will form a core part of the local mental health offer, providing accessible, evidence‑based psychological therapies for adults across Essex. The ambition is to support earlier intervention, improve recovery outcomes, and ensure people can access the right level of psychological support in a timely and person‑centred way.
Aims and Objectives
The service aims to:
• Provide high‑quality Talking Therapies and specialist psychological therapies for people with severe or complex mental health needs.
• Improve access, equity, and consistency across all parts of Essex.
• Strengthen early intervention and reduce escalation into urgent or crisis services through timely, evidence‑based support.
• Enhance recovery, resilience, and self‑management through structured, therapeutic interventions matched to clinical need.
• Improve integration between primary care, community mental health services, and wider health and social care partners.
• Reduce variation and address local inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes.
Expected Outcomes
• The newly commissioned service is expected to deliver:
• Improved mental health and functional outcomes for individuals receiving therapy.
• Increased access for underserved or marginalised communities across Essex.
• Reduced waiting times and more efficient pathways into both Talking Therapies and PT‑SMHP.
• Reduction in crisis presentations and unplanned care through proactive intervention.
• Positive user‑reported experience, including improved wellbeing, confidence, and ability to manage day‑to‑day life.
• Strengthened system collaboration and smoother transitions between therapy services and wider mental health pathways.
The contract value listed as £1.00 is due to the constraints in this form and does not represent the proposed contract value. The total contract value, proposed contract duration and relevant information will be shared during the engagement session. All relevant details, once finalised, will be published as part of the procurement documentation. Any future procurement opportunities pertaining to these services, if undertaken, will be advertised with a separate call for competition via a relevant notice published in Central Digital Platform (CDP) and all appropriate platforms, once final.
Please Note: Any expenditure, work or effort undertaken by you prior to any subsequent procurement is a matter solely for your own commercial judgment. The Authority reserves the right to withdraw from the process at any time or to not tender the service(s) or to tender on a different basis. In such circumstances, and in any event, the Authority and/or its advisors shall not be liable for any costs or loss of expenses whatsoever incurred by any organisation, agent or subsidiary that may have contributed to any proposals submitted to this notice. Any and all information/documents are draft and subject to change. Under no circumstances should providers approach the Authority directly in relation to the service.
The service that this Prior Information Notice (PIN) relates is within scope of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The Authority is bound only by the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 do not apply.
II.2.14) Additional information
The service that this Prior Information Notice (PIN) relates is within scope of the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). The Authority is bound only by the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of the Public Contract Regulations 2015 do not apply.