On 20 June Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP)’s Social Care Commissioning Team, supported by the Supplier Development Programme, hosted an online event called ‘Meet Glasgow City HSCP’.

The event was an opportunity for our HSCP to meet current and potential new providers and to share more information on our Market Facilitation Plan (2024 to 2026). The primary aim of the plan is to improve communication with the social care market and to support providers of social care services to plan for future service delivery. You can read the Market Facilitation Plan on our website.

Geri McCormick, Head of Commissioning, spoke about how we’re continuously reviewing and improving our tender processes, including engaging with providers earlier in the process, and we’re also looking at using Talking Tenders and provider events.

Geri also shared information on our planned procurement activities (upcoming contracts) for 2024 to 2025, along with indicative timescales for each care group / service. Advice was given to providers about the different steps in the tender process including preparing to bid for a contract, what the standard procurement pack contains and key documents including the Invitation to Tender.

Geri said: “This event was one example of how we’re trying to do things differently in relation to our tender processes. It was good to meet so many current and potentially new providers and we hope it gave them a good overview of the tender process and we look forward to working with them.”

Sharon Wearing, Chief Officer Finance and Resources, also provided an input on the current budget / pressures we, as an HSCP, are facing.

Over 60 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and third sector organisations attended the event and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. A delegate said “I felt that the content was good and extremely informative. A very good way of sharing and providing important helpful information”, and another said “I feel more confident to participate in public tenders going forward.”

The event was recorded and you can see their presentations at the following link: Meet Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership 2024