Transfer of children’s services in Barnsley

Our board has taken the decision to withdraw from the provision of Barnsley’s 0-19 healthy child programme, commissioned by Barnsley Council.

Barnsley Council put the service out to tender last year and we were the only provider to submit a bid. Our bid was at a level which we felt would enable a safe and sustainable service, while at the same time delivering significant savings.

Unfortunately, the bid was outside of the council’s financial envelope and the procurement was abandoned. We have since been working hard with the council to find a way to deliver a safe service which also meets the need to reduce costs.

Following detailed clinical and managerial review of risk, our Trust Board could not be assured that we could deliver the proposed service model safely within the financial envelope available.

Our staff provide excellent care, and our priority is supporting both them and the people who use our services.

The contract officially ended on 31 March for health visiting and will end on 31 May for school nursing. The Trust has agreed to keep providing the service for an additional 3 months with an option to extend for a further 3 months if required, to make sure that it is safely transferred and to allow time for a transfer of staff under TUPE.

The family nurse partnership (FNP) service, which was previously part of the Barnsley 0-19 healthy child programme, was decommissioned as of 31 March and as such will not transfer.