Service Specification

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Tender

Tender for the Provision of Occupational Health to

[Purchasing Organisation]

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Prepared For: Name

Job title

Organisation

Address 1

Address 2

City/Town

Postcode

Prepared By:Name

Position:Job title

Organisation:Organisation

Tender

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This tender is to provide [purchasing organisation] with the core occupational health services covering all areas identified within the tender specification.

The tender price for the core occupational health service is:

£[x] per annum, for a fully inclusive service of all core activities and associated support

The occupational health service is able to provide the full range of level 2 optional services, on a cost-per-case basis.

The occupational health service is a professional local service consisting of [x number] staff (including [x] clinical, professional and technical staff), with substantial previous and current experience in providing services to large organisations, including organisations in the [name of sector].

GENERAL SERVICE OVERVIEW

1. Supplier Contact

Any requests for further information or clarification in relation to this tender should be directed to:

[Contact name and address details]

Telephone:

Fax:

E-mail:

2. General Information

The occupational health service (OHS) is part of [name of OH organisation], the biggest provider of acute hospital services in the county of [x] providing services to over [x] people in the local area.

2.1 Team Structure and Account Managers

The OHS team (see structure chart – appendix 1) consists of [x] staff across a range of teams – nursing, medical, administrative, counselling, and manual handling. To facilitate the smooth operation of this contract, two joint account managers will operate to service the [purchasing organisation] needs. The account managers are [name] (Administration Manager), and [name] (Clinical Manager). In addition, the contract review meetings will involve [name]. If successful in being awarded this contract, the OHS will employ additional staff to provide a unique dedicated service to the [purchasing organisation]. The Senior Occupational Health Adviser employed would also be part of the account management team.

The OHS is open and honest at all times, and seeks to work in partnership with its organisation clients. We seek to adhere to the policies, procedures and ways of working of our client organisations, and believe that the supportive philosophy of the [purchasing organisation] towards its staff is consistent with our own ethics and working styles.

The OHS prides itself on its low staff turnover - a result of a good team ethic, excellent in-house training and development, and a proactive and vibrant approach to its work.

2.2 Site

The premises have their own free car parking, and are on a major bus route from [x] city centre. Consulting rooms within our premises are also rented to a range of independently-run health care professionals offering physiotherapy, podiatry, chiropractic, psychotherapy, and complementary therapy services. The OHS would be happy to discuss with the [purchasing organisation] if and how it may wish to utilise the services of some of these businesses, out with the tender specification.

2.3 Quality Assurance and Customer Satisfaction

The OHS is committed to delivering good quality, evidence-based practice. It aims to provide a good quality and comprehensive service which meets the physical, emotional and educational health needs of employers and employees. The OHS takes into account guidelines and advice on the purposes, functions and standards of an occupational health service from the following:

  • Department of Health
  • British Medical Association
  • Royal College of Nursing
  • Association of National Health Occupational Health Physicians
  • Association of National Health Occupational Health Nurses
  • “The Management of Health, Safety and Welfare Issues for NHS Staff” (HSC 98/064)
  • The Provision of OH Services for General Medical Practitioners and their Staff
  • SEQOHS standards

The OHS is compliant with all relevant legislation, most notably the Data Protection Act, the Disability Discrimination Act, the Access to Medical Reports Act, Display Screen Equipment Regulations, Working Time Regulations, and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations.

The OHS undergoes NHS accreditation as to its standards and performance via an external assessment as part of the NHS Improving Working Lives quality accreditation scheme, and as part of its membership of the NHS Health at Work Network. [Name of OH organisation] achieved the ultimate “Practice Plus” standard in 2006, with the OHS playing a leading role in helping the Trust achieve the “healthy workplaces” standards required as part of this assessment.

Individual staff receive annual clinical and non-clinical appraisal, have an established Personal development plan and maintain their continuing professional development as part of their competence to practise.

The OHS also measures its performance in terms of a “contract renewal success rate” – the ultimate measure of an organisation’s satisfaction with the service is whether they continue to renew the contract. The contract renewal rate is running at 98%.

As part of benchmarking exercises, the OHS periodically participates in benchmarking exercises to monitor its pricing structure against other service providers.

In [date], the OHS ran its annual client satisfaction survey:

  • 95.3% of staff attending the service reported as either satisfied or very satisfied with their overall experience.
  • 94% of referring managers found the referral process easy
  • 84% of managers were satisfied with the response times for reports
  • 92% of managers were happy with the quality of our reports.

2.4 Information Technology

The OHS is a fully computerised service utilising one of the market-leading occupational health software packages. All [purchasing organisation] staff will be registered on this system, which automatically generates standard appointment letters, recall letters for future health surveillance requirements, scanned copies of referral letters and pre-employment health questionnaires, etc.

The OHS can use a dial-up remote access system whilst on the [purchasing organisation] site if required for full secure access to the occupational health software package held on the hospital main server.

The OHS utilises e-mail for the prompt delivery of medical reports and to respond to queries around the pre-employment health status of new recruits.

2.5 Previous Relevant Experience

The OHS has an established track record over more than [x] years, providing services within the NHS since 1973. It first started providing occupational health to non-NHS employers in 1994, and has subsequently developed a broad range of occupational health knowledge, experience and understanding across a range of business and employment sectors.

The OHS provides services to over [x] NHS staff locally. In addition, in [date] we provided occupational health to [number of] local organisations, most of which are local to [location/county] but also some regional and national companies.

We previously provided services to the [purchasing organisation] for over 10 years, and therefore are well attuned to their issues, demands and working practices.

The strength of our business is our ability to work flexibly with a wide range of organisations across a number of sectors, including:

  • NHS healthcare
  • Borough, parish councils and unitary councils
  • Education
  • Private healthcare
  • Food manufacturing
  • Engineering
  • Entertainment and leisure
  • Construction
  • Prisons
  • Communications, eg. newspapers; call centres
  • Professional service sector, e.g. solicitors, architects, etc.

As a result of this work, the OHS team have a broad knowledge base, but with particular expertise in:

  • Pre-employment health decisions
  • Managing short-term intermittent, and long-term sickness absence
  • Health surveillance in the workplace, focusing on issues of respiratory sensitisation, noise, skin allergies, hand-arm vibration, working at heights or in confined spaces, night working, and vision screening
  • Health promotion
  • Management consultancy in assessing an organisation’s occupational health needs and working with them to develop appropriate policies and procedures
  • Counselling

The OHS has experience at delivering services either on-site, most notably for health surveillance and manager referrals, or in our own department, which is conveniently located for [purchasing organisation] staff in the city of [location].

2.6 Management Information

The OHS is able to provide detailed, anonymised statistics to the [purchasing organisation] on a regular basis. It is envisaged that this will include:

  • Regular reports on usage of the service, by service type, at intervals determined by the [purchasing organisation]
  • Reports will be in a format as agreed with the [purchasing organisation], and will be available both electronically and in hard copies
  • Reports detailing the primary reasons for referral
  • Audit reports detailing performance against timescales for key indicators, including pre-employment health questionnaire screening, health assessments, and manager referrals
  • Summary reports detailing all other activities and progress, including health promotion, meeting attendance, policy reviews, etc.
  • Anonymised statistical feedback following health promotion workshops or assessments

2.7 Service Accessibility

The OHS is open as follows:

Monday08.30 – 17.15

Tuesday08.30 – 17.15

Wednesday08.30 – 17.15

Thursday08.30 – 17.15

Friday08.30 – 16.30

The service is currently based predominantly on a ground floor at [location], and the premises have total wheelchair accessibility. There is a disabled car-parking facility directly outside the department, and is adjacent to the hospital main car park and pay and display car park. The hospital is also on a main bus route, and 15 minutes walk from [location] station.

Manager referrals will predominantly take place within the premises of the OHS, but alternative arrangements, including home visits, will be accommodated.

2.8 Staffing

The OHS intends to employ additional staff to provide a dedicated service to the [purchasing organisation]. However, this is backed up by a range of clinicians to ensure an effective and flexible service at all times. This includes access to [number] occupational health physicians. Whilst it is intended that one suitably qualified occupational health adviser will be employed to service the [purchasing organisation] main requirements, this person will be backed up by five degree-qualified or equivalent clinical nurse specialists. The remaining members of the nursing and technician team will be involved in pre-employment health questionnaire assessment and health surveillance of [purchasing organisation] staff.

The number of OHS staff means that there is ample cover for sickness and holidays. There are no plans to sub-contract any of the services.

2.9Advice, Support and Helpline

All prices quoted within this document are inclusive of telephone support and advice within the hours listed above. Where it is not possible to give an immediate response to a telephone query, a returned call will be made within four working hours. Due to the size of the team, clinical cover is always available between the core hours of 08.30 and 16.30.

The OHS runs a telephone helpline for staff and managers during normal office hours. An occupational health nurse is available for advice at any time, and this service is free of charge to all business clients.

2.10 General Service Delivery Timescales

2.10.1 Pre-employment screening

Anticipated response time from receipt of questionnaire:

  • Posted within2 working days

Anticipated response time from the assessment of the questionnaire, the individual to be seen within a maximum of:

  • 10 working days – physician
  • 5 working days – nurse specialist

Note: To facilitate timely decision-making, the pre-employment questionnaire needs to be thoroughly completed by both the employee and [purchasing organisation]. In instances where the OHS needs to write back for further medical information, the above waiting time targets will be breached.

2.10.2 Sickness absence – case review and management

Anticipated response time from receipt of referral to appointment:

  • 10 working days – physician
  • 5 working days – nurse specialist

Completed report to be sent after appointment:

  • Posted within 2 working days

2.10.3 Response times – targets and actual achievement in [year]

The OHS has established turnover/waiting time targets that are audited on a daily basis for all organisations we provide services to. For appointments, the actual waiting time in days is measured as the later of the next two available appointments to ensure the client has a choice, eg. if there was an available doctor’s appointment the next day, and a second one in five days, this is measured as a 5 day waiting time. Waiting times exclude the day of receipt of referral and also exclude weekends and public holidays. In the 12 months ending [date] our waiting time figures were as follows:

  • Occupational health physician = 7.3 days (target 10 days)
  • Specialist nurse (occupational health adviser) = 4.8 days (target 5 days)
  • Registered nurse = 1.6 days (target 2 days)
  • Pre-employment health questionnaire screening = 91.2% (target 90% in 2 days)

2.11 Security and Confidentiality

The OHS abides by the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Access to Medical Reports Act 1998. We will seek the individual’s consent in all instances when either writing reports back to the referring manager, or when requesting further information from a specialist or GP. The Data Protection Act entitles staff to a full copy of their occupational health records. The OHS would be happy to discuss with the [purchasing organisation] how to ensure its legal and ethical obligations for the provision and sharing of reports are met.

Occupational health notes will be kept under lock and key with strictly limited access to staff of the OHS only.

The OHS may utilise a remote access system (RAS) when on-site at the [purchasing organisation] which will provide the nurse with secure remote access to our IT occupational health software system and the occupational health server at the hospital site.

2.12 Complaints

The OHS will seek to work with the [purchasing organisation] to resolve any complaints.

Minor queries or issues requiring resolution will in the first instance be raised directly with the individual member of the OHS staff responsible for dealing with that particular case. Where this is unable to resolve the matter, a formal written complaint needs to be raised with the [head of service job title]. A thorough investigation will be undertaken and the complainant will receive a written response within 10 working days of receipt of their complaint.

2.13 Supporting Best Practice

The OHS will work with the [purchasing organisation] to help contribute to its principles. In particular, the OHS adopts the [purchasing organisation] philosophy of supportive and positive management towards its staff. The overall mission of the OHS is to aim to provide:

“A good quality and comprehensive service which meets the physical, emotional and educational health needs of staff and employers”.

The OHS regularly measures its outputs in a variety of ways, and also undertakes national benchmarking to ensure efficiency, effectiveness and economy of its operations. The OHS is actively involved in a range of measures it believes are essential to the running of an effective business. These include:

  • business process re-engineering
  • staff training and support
  • accreditation towards national occupational health and corporate quality schemes
  • learning from audit and events to continually improve services

The application of these principles in all aspects of its work will make a positive impact in helping the [purchasing organisation] to manage the physical and emotional health of their staff.

The OHS is producing good results from its daily audit of activities, and continues to aspire towards excellence.

2.14 Qualifications

2.14.1 The OHS employs three occupational health physicians. Two hold the Diploma in Occupational Medicine and are Associates of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (AFOM). This qualifies them to approve ill-health retirement in accordance with the Pension Scheme Regulations. The presence of two such qualified physicians ensures all ill-health retirement issues can be dealt with in-house without the need to outsource to another external provider. Under the NHS regulations, all our physicians are required to go through a regular process of appraisal and revalidation to assess continuing competence to practise.

The third physician has over [x number]years’ occupational health experience, the Certificate in Occupational Health and is a member of the Association of NHS Occupational Physicians (ANHOPS).

2.14.2The nursing team is led by [name], who is a clinical nurse specialist and holds the occupational health degree. The team also employs another two degree-qualified nurse specialists, another who holds the Occupational Health Diploma, and one with the OH Certificate. A further three nurses are studying for the occupational health degree, with one due to graduate this coming summer and the other two in [year]. The rest of the nursing team are all registered nurses, and between them hold over 30 years of occupational health experience. The clinical team also has an occupational health technician who is trained to undertake health surveillance testing.

2.14.3 The administrative team led by [name] hold a range of administrative qualifications, including NVQ Levels 2 and 3 in Administration and Level 4 in Business Administration. [Name] holds the NVQ Level 4 in Management. The majority of the team’s qualifications have been supported whilst employed in the NHS.

2.14.4The manual handling team as part of this tender will be able to provide telephone advice and support as requested. This team includes a qualified physiotherapist/manual handling specialist and a registered nurse who holds the Diploma in Manual Handling.

2.14.5The staff counselling service team all hold the Diploma in Counselling. Three of the counsellors are accredited with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, with the others all working towards this accreditation. Four of the counsellors are also trained in psychotherapy. The main details of note are:

  • [Name]: Diploma in Humanistic Counselling; MA Counselling; BACP accredited counsellor; Diploma in Counselling Supervision; City and Guilds 7306 Certificate in Adult Teaching; Certificate in Therapeutic Group Work; Certificate in CBT; working towards Diploma in Gestalt Psychotherapy
  • [Name]: Diploma in Humanistic Counselling; Diploma in Counselling Supervision; BACP accredited counsellor; skills in CBT
  • [Name]: Diploma in Counselling; BACP accredited counsellor; skills in CBT
  • [Name]: Diploma in Counselling; BACP accreditation submitted; skills in CBT
  • [Name]: Diploma in Counselling; working towards BACP accreditation; skills in CBT (Lecturer on University Counselling Diploma)
  • [Name]: Diploma in Counselling; working towards BACP accreditation;
  • [Name]: Diploma in Counselling; final year of Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy
  • [Name]: Diploma in Gestalt Counselling; final year of Diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy
  • [Name]: Diploma in Counselling
  • [Name]: Diploma in Counselling

2.14.6The clinical psychologist employed in occupational health also works as a senior clinical psychologist for the Primary Care Trust Psychological Therapies Service. Also outside of the tender price for the purpose of this contract, the OHS could make this specialist available at the request of the [purchasing organisation] at a fee to be agreed.