Devon CCG (the commissioners) are hosting a market engagement event to inform the commissioning of Wheelchair services for Children, Young People and Adults (standard and specialist) in Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon The purpose of the event is to provide an overview of the required service and a proposed timeline.

This will include a question and answer session.

The scope of the procurement is to provide a service that is a high quality and clinically safe integrated Wheelchair Service, including the assessment and provision of equipment, aftercare, maintenance and support for adults and children who have a physical/cognitive and /or degenerative long term condition which limits mobility.

This may also include people who require end of life care.

The service will be customer focused and strive to ensure customer satisfaction through skilled and efficient assessment, handover, and maintenance/repair and call out arrangements.

The Wheelchair Service will assess users for the provision of wheeled mobility equipment for those clients with long term mobility needs, both powered and manual.

Pressure relieving cushions and postural management equipment will also be provided to meet long term clinical need.

Assessment and provision will take into account the needs of both the user and the carer/parent and environmental constraints.

The service will offer a range of assessment by senior practitioners for users with complex needs prescribing bespoke equipment.

All users will be offered assessments either by telephone and/or letter and either seen in a clinical, home or work environment dependent on the users specified needs.

In relation to complex specialist needs, assessments should be undertaken in a specialist centre, equipped with appropriate equipment for physical examinations and pressure measurement plus suitable facilities for moving and handling.

Trial wheelchair/seating equipment should be made available.

Alternatively, individuals may be seen in other environments such as child development centre/schools for children or familiar/non-threatening surroundings such as home for people with cognitive or learning difficulties.

The maximum annual value is expected to be in the region of £1,837,342 GBP per annum, although this is subject to change.

It is anticipated that any contract is expected to be for an initial period of 3 years, with options to extend the initial period by any period or periods up to a maximum of a further 2 years.