Shared Care Scheme

North Somerset Council would like to invite local primary care providers to tender for the responsibility of prescribing opiate substitution medication (i.e. methadone or buprenorphine) as part of the North Somerset Shared Care Scheme. The successful bidder will produce opiate substitution prescriptions on behalf of those North Somerset GP practices that are willing to provide access (via a digital platform) to the medical records of relevant patients (the number of willing practices is expected to be 21). The Provider will be supported by and work in partnership with the North Somerset Substance Misuse Service.

The North Somerset Shared Care Prescribing of Opiate Substitute Medication scheme (hereafter the Shared Care scheme has been successfully delivered for many years through a single provider model. This delivery model produces the following benefits: a streamlined delivery mechanism, improved communication and joint working between partner agencies, and more robust performance management processes. It also promotes more effective and safer prescribing practices.

This single provider model will continue to be the chosen delivery method for Shared Care in North Somerset. This contract is for 36 months with an option to extend up to a further 24 months. In order to tender for this opportunity please visit www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk where all of the tender documentation is available. We are using a one stage Open Tender process under the Light Touch Regime as explained within the Public Contract Regulations 2015