Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism: Assessment and Diagnosis, NHS Talking Therapies and Crisis Services
Framework Description
This NHS Shared Business Services framework (SBS10239) buys mental health, learning disability and autism services under the Provider Selection Regime rather than standard procurement rules. Its three lots cover assessment and diagnosis, NHS talking therapies and crisis services, delivered by commercial providers and voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. It runs from 14 April 2025 to 13 April 2029 and is not a DPS.
Context & Use Case
Integrated Care Boards, NHS Trusts, NHS England and local authorities use it to add capacity where demand outstrips local services and to move more care into the community. Typical needs include clearing assessment and diagnosis waiting lists, adding talking therapies capacity, and commissioning crisis services that give people an alternative to acute admission.
Scope of Services
Lot 1: Assessment and diagnosis Lot 2: NHS talking therapies Lot 3: Crisis services
Lots
Lot 1: Assessment and diagnosis Lot 2: NHS talking therapies Lot 3: Crisis services
Who Can Apply
It suits independent and VCSE providers of mental health, learning disability and autism services, including specialist assessment teams, talking therapies providers and crisis service operators. Providers were appointed in the original procurement and none can join mid-term; the next opening is a re-procurement likely around 13 April 2029.
Buyer Benefits
Commissioners get a ready-made Provider Selection Regime route, saving the effort of running their own process. Mixing VCSE and commercial providers gives access to community-rooted services as well as scalable capacity, and a ready pool of appointed providers helps when waiting times need to fall quickly.
Next Steps
Appointed providers should keep outcome data, waiting time performance and clinical governance evidence current, since commissioners compare providers on these when calling off. Others cannot join before 13 April 2029. Use the time to build commissioner relationships, win local contracts directly, and check the SBS10239 page on the NHS SBS site for re-procurement notices.
How Athena Can Help
Commissioners calling off from SBS10239 look closely at quality and outcomes, so responses need hard evidence. Athena's mental health tender writers build those answers around your assessment, therapy or crisis results, and a Bid Health Check finds weak points before submission.
Providers outside the framework can use our help with public sector tender bids to compete for local mental health contracts now, and a framework entry timetable to have case studies, policies and social value evidence ready for the 2029 re-procurement.
