Improving access to Women’s Health and Fertility services across South West London – engagement tender specification

Objectives of engagement

1. Improving access to women’s health services (gynaecology including cervical screening and contraception)
2. Improving access to fertility services in south west London for women from ethnic minority communities.

Contact

helen.clackson@swlondon.nhs.uk

Date

Deadline for registering interest is midday Tuesday 21 March and invoice for payment to be submitted by 31 March. Plan for delivery to be discussed.

1. Background

1. Improving access to Women’s Health Services

Data shows women face obstacles when it comes to getting the care they need. Although women in the UK on average live longer than men, women spend a significantly greater proportion of their lives in ill health and disability when compared with men. Not enough focus is placed on women-specific issues like miscarriage or menopause, and women are under-represented when it comes to important clinical trials. This has meant that not enough is known about conditions that only affect women, or about how conditions that affect both men and women impact them in different ways.

In South West London we want to explore what the issues and barriers are and how these could be addressed.

You can read more in Women’s Health Strategy published by government in July 2022 highlighted the issues women experience accessing healthcare. 

2. Improving access to SWL Fertility services for people from ethnic minority communities

There is a current inequity for women from black and ethnic minority communities receiving investigation and treatment for infertility in SWL, in particular for black Caribbean women. 

For example, this could be IVF fertility services for people wishing to conceive and their partners. In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is one of several techniques available to help people with fertility problems have a baby.

There is a project led by clinicians in South West London aiming to establish the current barriers to access and uptake and what measures could be put in place to address them.

2. Engagement requirements

We want to find out about peoples’ experience of services, and what’s most important. People’s views will help us improve the support we provide to people and their families, friends and carers.

We’re particularly keen to hear from women from an ethnic minority background living in Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Sutton, Richmond and Wandsworth, as well as their carers and family and friends.

We are seeking to fund local organisations to support and help us deliver targeted engagement work. This could be by helping us host a focus group, or by carrying out face-to-face and phone interviews. The groups (but not exclusively) we are looking to speak to are

• All women who have experienced gynaecological health issues
• Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities
  • Women or people over 18 who are planning to have a baby
  • Women who access fertility investigation but did not go on to have treatment

• Communities in:
  • Croydon – Croydon North, Addington and Fairfield
  • Kingston – Beverley and Berrylands
  • Merton – East Merton (Mitcham and the surrounding areas)
  • Sutton – Sutton Central, St Helier and Wandle Valley
  • Richmond – Ham, Petersham and Richmond Riverside
  • Wandsworth – Roehampton, Queenstown, Latchmere and Tooting

3. Engagement proposals

Interested organisations should submit proposals for how they could use the funding to support with reaching the target groups.

Please let us know what activity/activities you could carry out in the coming 3-month period, detailing how you would reach out to people to get involved, the budget required, further opportunities to engage with carers and any support needed from NHS SW London. We would need to have the community insight back by Friday 30 June 2023.

In addition, we welcome joint bids for funding – so if your organisation is interested in hosting money on behalf of a number of organisations please get in touch to discuss your proposal.

We would like to spend a proportional amount per population, below are the indicative figures for each borough. We are looking to maximise engagement and would welcome joint bids as well as individual organisations.

If you would like to discuss this work please email Helen Clarkson at helen.clarkson@swlondon.nhs.uk

4. Accountability

The organisation will be accountable to NHS SW London to deliver agreed activity as part of the grant funding agreement.

In addition, organisations must be able to demonstrate they have safeguarding and health and safety measures in place.

5. Timeframes

Deadline for registering interest midday Tuesday 21 March and invoice for payment to be submitted by 31 March. We apologise for the short deadlines and any inconvenience this might cause, please do get in touch if we can help.

Indicative timescales:

• March 2023 – organisations appointed and receive grant funding
• April/May – organisations carry out activites to gather insight
• Early June – organisations share insights with ICB using agreed template