MARKET ENGAGEMENT – Children’s Weight Management

Wakefield Council’s Health Improvement Team is preparing to develop the service specification for the contract for a Children’s Weight Management service which will commence on 1 April 2020.

As part of this preparation, commissioners are keen to engage with a number of potential providers in addition to the existing service providers of adult weight management services. This is in order to understand market capability which will assist commissioners to develop the service specification.

Currently, the Council is proposing to commission a children and family service. It is envisaged the service will focus on dietary, nutritional, behaviour change and physical activity to support sustainable change.

The Council intends to meet with up to 6 potential service providers in addition to the Councils existing service providers of adult weight management services to discuss the development of the districts’ future children and family weight management provision. These meetings will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis to the 6 potential service providers who respond to this advertisement. Face-to-face meetings will be scheduled for 45 minutes per provider and will be held on Thurs 30th and Fri 31st May 2019 at Pugneys Country Park, Asdale Rd, Wakefield WF2 7EQ. This engagement is aimed at organisations that have experience of delivering children and family weight management provision.

AGENDA – POINTS FOR DISCUSSION
• CONTRACT DURATION; length of contract, period for mobilisation.
• CONTRACT STRUCTURE; lead provider model or separate lots.
• SERVICE STRUCTURE;
- Thoughts on separate lots for children, young people and families.
- Thoughts on delivery via group, 1:1 and via digital technologies i.e. online or via a Smartphone App.
- Separate lots for dietary/eating habits, behaviour change/psychological and physical activity support.
- Thoughts on programme length and numbers of sessions
• OUTCOMES;
- More residents with a healthier weight.
- Reduction in the burden on health and social care.
- Residents taking action to manage their own weight.
- Residents understand what a healthy weight is.
- Residents have the skills, knowledge and ability to manage their own weight.
• SERVICE FOCUS; support for overweight and obese children, young people and their families; those who are ready to make changes.

To express an interest in meeting with the commissioners on a one-to-one basis please contact: Debbie Hastings on dhastings@wakefield.gov.uk.
Participation in this market engagement exercise will not affect or preclude any organisation from participating in any future procurement process.

The outcome of the market engagement will be summarised and included in any subsequent procurement process (albeit without attributing responses to specific organisations).