West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) is seeking expressions of interest in undertaking an analysis of the physical and mental health needs of people who sleep rough, are at risk of rough sleeping for the first time or are at risk of returning to rough sleeping, within West Northamptonshire.

This will include the accessibility of all relevant health services to support this cohort, as well as access to, and provision of services providing accommodation and support.

The purpose will be to inform the commissioning and development of partnership working for services that seek to: • Ensure that rough sleeping is rare, brief, and non-recurring • Improve the health and wellbeing of those who have experience of rough sleeping • It should answer the question 'how can housing, health and social care services across Northamptonshire better meet the needs of people who are at risk of or have experienced rough sleeping?' The findings of the needs assessment should inform development of WNC's emerging Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, development of a commissioning framework and management and allocation of funding within the system to address these issues.

To influence West Northamptonshire housing team's commissioning process from April 2024, the final needs assessment's recommendations need to be completed and delivered to the team by end of May 2023.

This would include a review and a written report with recommendations. 'Needs' will include physical and mental health needs, as well as accommodation and support needs.

The assessment will inform recommendations as to the health, social care and housing services needed to ensure that rough sleeping is prevented where possible and, where it cannot be prevented, it is rare, brief and non-recurring.

The assessment will review the customer journey, including accommodation and support, identify gaps and make recommendations on maximising service provision, including new operating models and approaches, to inform a new commissioning framework across West Northants from 2024 onwards.

We are inviting expressions of interest (EOI) for undertaking this work on behalf of West Northamptonshire Council.

Please limit the EOI to 2 sides of A4.

Your expression of interest will need to set out your experience, the methodology to be used to meet the requirements of the service health check, availability to undertake the work and details of costs.

Please see additional information attached.

Please return your completed expression of interest documentation via email to Procurement@westnorthants.gov.uk quoting "Ref: Health needs of rough sleepers" no later than close of business Monday 5th December 2022.

We will note your interest within our records, although we will not be able to provide any further information or acknowledgement of the potential procurement at this time.

Please note that submitting an expression of interest does not guarantee any work, or invitation to work with West Northamptonshire Council.