Commissioned contracts

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The following contracts have been commissioned by our Adults' Partnership Commissioning team:

Medway Integrated Community Equipment Services (MICES)

This service has successfully been recommissioned.

Medequip Assistive Technology Ltd were successful in their bid and are the current provider.

The contract started on 1 September 2025 and is for an initial 5-year period with options to extend for a further 2 years, for a total of 24 months.

The current service criteria is being reviewed to be agreed and set up as a business-as-usual model after the first 12 months of the new contract making sure that any lessons learnt are applied.

About MICES

The service provides community loaned equipment to service users of all ages. These users require equipment on a temporary or permanent loan basis due to health needs or disabilities.

The service is available for patients of all ages who have a Medway GP or live within our area footprint. However, we understand that a small proportion of eligible service users living in Kent are registered with a Medway GP.

The service provides loaned equipment prescribed by authorised professionals and ensures it is:

  • supplied
  • delivered
  • fitted
  • installed
  • uninstalled
  • adjusted
  • repaired
  • refurbished
  • collected
  • decontaminated
  • recycled
  • disposed of when no longer needed.

Equipment procurement and decontamination

MICES procure equipment (standard stock and complex equipment) for adults and paediatric service users as requested by prescribers to the standards and guidance set by the MHRA.

This includes using appropriate decontamination methods in line with the Community Equipment Code of Practice Scheme (CECOPS) Code Standard 15 to address varying levels of contamination and cross-infection risk.

All activities are carried out in accordance with:

  • infection control and MHRA Medical Device Guidance
  • current relevant legislation, regulations, and guidelines
  • British, European, and international standards
  • industry standards and codes of practice
  • NHS and our infection control and prevention policies.

Technical advice, equipment delivery and maintenance

MICES provide on and off-site technical advice to practitioners, clinicians, and trusted assessors.

This includes:

  • attending joint visits
  • advising on minor adaptations and loaned equipment
  • delivering appropriate daily living equipment on both short and long-term loan bases
  • carrying out pre-planned maintenance (PPM) of loaned equipment in service users' homes within agreed timescales and in accordance with manufacturers' instructions.

Supporting independent living and integrated care

MICES support long-term patient outcomes by helping people live independently at home for longer.

This includes:

  • partnership working with voluntary organisations and healthcare professionals to coordinate care
  • developing rapid community response services to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and facilitate timely discharge
  • improving equipment support for carers
  • increasing patient choice and control over where and how care is delivered, including end-of-life care.

Delivering personalised health and social care services

MICES support the NHS personalisation agenda and the effective use of personal budgets within social care services.

They deliver services that meet the requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014, including equipment provision for eligible children, young adults, and the wider Medway population.

Promoting health, wellbeing and equipment recovery

MICES support and maintain health and wellbeing through increased independence, choice, control, dignity, and quality of life.

This includes supporting the delivery of end-of-life care in the setting chosen by the patient and ensuring the timely collection of loaned equipment from service users' homes or community settings when no longer required.

Resource planning and environmental sustainability

MICES ensure resources are targeted to the right people at the right time and placed through effective planning and preparation.

They reduce environmental impact through:

  • recycling
  • the use of local resources where possible
  • collaboration with volunteers and partner organisations.

MICES contribute to service planning through multi-agency and multidisciplinary approaches that deliver timely, flexible, and responsive services.

Community equipment distribution

MICES deliver community loaned equipment to service users' homes, satellite stores, and any other locations specified by prescribers or commissioners.

They're developing innovative approaches to service delivery, including the establishment of additional equipment drop-off and collection points.

Customer service and stakeholder engagement

MICES provide a single point of contact for service users to track the progress and availability of standard, specialist, recycled, and complex equipment.

They deliver value for money, driving service improvements, promoting innovation through stakeholder engagement, and maintaining ongoing dialogue with commissioners regarding new products and equipment.

They are also developing strong working relationships with:

  • commissioners
  • clinicians
  • prescribers
  • trusted assessors
  • healthcare providers across acute, primary, secondary, and community settings.

Minor adaptations and care home collaboration

MICES oversee, quality-check, and sign off minor modifications and adaptations undertaken by subcontractors on behalf of the provider.

They meet the needs of service users and carers while operating within budget and working collaboratively with care and nursing homes to ensure the collection of loaned equipment that has remained on site for more than 6 weeks.

Equipment records and asset management

MICES maintain the framework equipment catalogue and comprehensive servicing, maintenance, and repair records for all loaned equipment in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations.

This includes the regular servicing of ceiling-track hoists, mobile hoists, and other prescribed equipment while items are in service users' homes, held within the depot, and before reissue.

What MICES does not cover

MICES do not cover:

  • Tissue Viability pressure care equipment for medium to high pressure care (Grade 3 and above). Community nursing and care homes should refer directly to Tissue Viability services managed by the ICP
  • Technology Enabled Care Service (TECS)
  • medical equipment that requires consumables to function. For example, suction pumps or ventilators
  • the provision of wheelchairs. This is provided under a separate Kent and Medway ICB contract
  • provision of equipment to education, residential nursing or care home settings (excluding walking aids) but may provide some equipment for complex needs.

How the service is performing

There are:

  • 34,750 active service users registered and recorded on the system to access the equipment loan service in Medway
  • approximately 1,307 residents each month in Medway that access the loaned equipment service
  • around 450 professionals who prescribed loaned equipment via an online ordering system in Medway.

In 2024 to 2025, 8,910 individual service users accessed a service from Medequip. 

As of September 2025 there are 33,230 active service users recorded on the system.  

You can find further information at Gateway 3 Contract Award: Medway Integrated Community Equipment Service (MICES).

Medway Intermediate Care and Reablement Service (ICRS)

The contract runs from October 2026 to September 2031. There is an option to extend for a further 2 years twice, for a total of 48 months. The service will be delivered in its entirety by HCRG, Virgin Care Group.

We’ve partnered with the NHS Medway Integrated Care Partnership to procure the ICRS contract for the people of Medway. 

The ICRS supports and enables discharge from acute hospitals and is in line with the national discharge model.

This supports Medway NHS Foundation Trust through Pathway 1 (home-based intermediate care with reablement) and Pathway 2 (bed-based intermediate care with reablement). 

The service sits between the demand from acute hospitals referring into the service and adult social care providing packages of care for those patients who have the same, reduced or new levels of care requiring a package of care. The aim of the service is to prevent, reduce or delay the need for a package of care.

The ICRS supports our strategy and plan outcome of “Older and disabled people living independently in their homes” and has links with the Integrated Care Board (ICB) for the Kent and Medway Integrated Care System (ICS). The ICRS also reflects plans for the Medway and Swale Health and Care Partnership.

Current performance

In 2024 to 2025:

  • 76% of patients left the service with improved independence
  • 71% of patients left with no ongoing home care needs
  • 77% of all patients achieved their reablement goals set.

The service received a total of 1,782 referrals with:

  • 1,418 referrals for home first
  • 210 referrals for bedded care.

In 2024 to 2025 (check with Hannah which year is being referenced), the average number of days that patients were with the service was 24.3 days, and 84% of users were discharged within 6 weeks.

The vision for care in Medway sets out our goals and priorities to support the people of Medway to live full, active and independent lives for as long as possible in our local communities.

Core principles of the ICRS

  • Choice control: guaranteeing service users with reablement potential choice and control over their own care and where it is delivered to meet their specific needs.
  • Prevention: investing in a service that helps people stay healthy, happy and independent for as long as possible.
  • Facilitating hospital discharge: preventing delayed transfers of care and facilitating safe return of service users to their place of residence after a stay in hospital.
  • Flexibility: responding to identified needs through supporting service users at stakeholder engagement events.
  • Respect and dignity: showing respect and understanding towards service users and carers:
    • gender
    • sexual orientation
    • age
    • impairment
    • race
    • religion
    • culture
    • social background
    • lifestyle
    • privacy.
  • Safety and cleanliness: ensuring the highest levels of safety and cleanliness by following all current and future safety standards and legislations published by whatever means.
  • Efficiency: delivering a timely service in a safe and efficient manner.

You can find further details on the contract at Gateway 3 Contract Award: Intermediate Care and Reablement Service (ICRS) Contract.

Support to Live at Home (Homecare and Extra Care)

The contract runs from April 2024 to March 2028.

The Support to Live at Home Service provides care and support to eligible vulnerable individuals to enable them to remain living independently in their own homes.

The service is delivered by local care workers in collaboration with social work teams, health care services and third sector providers to provide a holistic person-centred package of support.

Aim of the service

The aim of the service is to provide good quality care and support that has health benefits by enabling people to live how they normally would at home.

It provides tailor made care packages that promote independence, which positively affects mental and physical wellbeing.

The service also places emphasis on maintaining and improving physical needs through enablement-based care practices to support people to live as independently as possible.

This service provides care and support to people in their own homes and to those living in the five Medway Extra Care schemes and will cover long-term care and enablement care.

Homecare

Homecare is commissioned on a locality-based model mirroring the structure of adult social care.

Homecare providers are allocated to work in the 3 locality areas, with packages of care allocated to providers based in that location.

The 3 adult social care localities are:

  • locality 1: ME7 and ME8
  • locality 2: ME4 and ME5
  • locality 3: ME1, ME2 and ME3.

Framework providers

There are currently 12 providers on the Homecare framework. This is a closed framework, meaning we cannot add any further providers to it at this time.

The 12 framework providers are:

  • Agincare
  • Angels Care
  • Boldglen
  • Every Care
  • Gravity Care
  • Independent Care
  • JC Michael Group
  • Lauriem Complete Care
  • London Care
  • Rapid Care
  • Scott Care
  • Tiger Lily.

Extra Care Housing Scheme

Extra Care Housing Schemes are a specialist housing provision designed to offer a safe, private and secure environment. This allows individuals aged 55 and over to maintain their quality of life.

Residents have a self-contained home with their own front door and a legal right to occupy the property.

Extra Care provides the balance between service users living independently in their own home whilst enjoying the benefits and reassurance of having staff on hand to provide planned care and support.

This includes additional support and care to avoid admission to hospital or long-term care where possible.

There are currently 5 Extra Care Housing Schemes in Medway:

  • Bellerophon House, Rochester
  • Montgomery Court, Wainscott, Rochester
  • Prospect Place, Gillingham
  • Atlas Place, St Mary's Island, Gillingham
  • Rogallo Place, Rochester.

You can find further details on the contract at Gateway 3 Contract Award: Support to Live at Home Service.

Assessment Bed Service

This contract runs from October 2024 to March 2027.

The Assessment Bed Service provides short-term residential assessment and recovery support. This is for adults who are medically fit to leave hospital but require further assessment and care before their long-term needs can be determined.

The service offers up to 8 assessment beds for placements of up to 6 weeks. This supports individuals with dementia, complex health and social care needs, and behaviours that may challenge.

Aims of the service

The aims of the service are to:

  • provide a safe alternative to prolonged hospital stays
  • enable people to recover, regain confidence and reach their optimum level of independence in a more appropriate setting. This takes place while dedicated social work support undertake assessments and plans future care arrangements.

The service focuses on outcomes-based, person-centred care to help people return home where possible. This can be either independently or with appropriate community support while reducing unnecessary admissions to long-term residential care.

This service also supports the wider health and social care system by:

  • improving hospital discharge pathways
  • reducing delays
  • promoting the use of assistive technology
  • contributing to adult social care priorities of prevention, early intervention, recovery, enablement and safeguarding.

You can find further details on the contract at Gateway 3 Contract Award: Assessment Bed Service.

Supported living for adults over the age of 18

This contract is due to end in 2027.

Supported living provides accommodation-based support for adults who require a level of assistance that may otherwise result in a residential care placement.

The service supports people with a range of needs, including (but not limited to):

  • learning disabilities
  • autism
  • mental health needs
  • physical disabilities
  • people with current or previous substance-use issues.

Principles of supported living for adults

A key principle of supported living is that individuals have their own tenancy agreement and maintain the same rights and responsibilities as other tenants.

Housing and care support are commissioned separately, giving service users greater choice and control over how their support is delivered.

Individuals are responsible for their own living costs. To help meet accommodation and support costs, they may be entitled to:

  • housing related benefits
  • disability related benefits.

Adaptations to properties may also be available through grant funding where appropriate.

Levels of supported living provision

The local supported living market includes a range of provision designed to meet differing levels of need.

Lot 1: Lower level supported living

Lower level supported living supports individuals who can live with a degree of independence but require planned support to maintain their tenancy and wellbeing. Support may include:

  • budgeting and income maximisation
  • coordinating and attending appointments
  • maintaining personal hygiene and wellbeing
  • managing and maintaining the home environment
  • social inclusion and community participation
  • promoting healthy lifestyles and good nutrition
  • medication support and compliance
  • accessing education, employment, volunteering, or meaningful daytime activities
  • person-centred support planning and goal setting
  • developing independent living skills and tenancy sustainment
  • lower-level supported living would not typically include overnight support.

Lot 2: Higher level supported living

Higher level supported living supports individuals with more complex needs requiring ongoing or intensive support. Support may include:

  • regular supervision and monitoring throughout the day
  • behavioural support and risk management
  • assistance with personal care, eating, drinking, and activities of daily living
  • medication administration
  • support with longer-term life planning and decision-making
  • development of skills to increase independence where appropriate
  • overnight support, including sleep-in or waking-night arrangements.

Providers delivering higher-level supported living are generally expected to demonstrate:

  • appropriate registration
  • governance arrangements
  • workforce competencies
  • specialist training relevant to the needs of the people they support.

Lot 3: Specialist supported living

Specialist supported living supports people with behaviours that challenge, including those that may present risks to themselves or others. Support may include:

  • individuals with forensic histories or involvement with the criminal justice system
  • people experiencing substance-use issues and associated complexities
  • individuals whose needs require bespoke accommodation and support arrangements.

Specialist services are typically designed around individual needs and outcomes. Providers are required to demonstrate:

  • significant relevant experience
  • specialist expertise
  • strong partnership working with health, social care, housing, and other agencies.

You can find further details on the contract at Gateway 3 Contract Award: Supported Living for Adults Over the Age of 18.

Voluntary Care Services (VCS) - (Better Care Consortium)

The contract runs from January 2024 to December 2026. There is an option to extend this for a further 2 years, for a total of 24 months.

You can find further information on the contract at Gateway 3 Voluntary Community Sector (VCS) The Better Together Consortium.

Lot 1: Infrastructure to support the VCS Organisations in Medway

Provider: MVA.

The service strengthens the voluntary and community sector in Medway by supporting organisations to be effective, sustainable, and representative. It provides leadership for the sector, ensures VCS voices are heard, and raises awareness of their contribution locally.

They deliver practical infrastructure support, including:

  • organisational development
  • volunteering support
  • income generation, which helps organisations build capacity and resilience.

MVA is acting as a central hub for information, advice, and signposting. This enables organisations to become more self-sufficient while contributing to a thriving, connected VCS in Medway.

Lot 2: Local Healthwatch Medway

Provider: EK360.

We have a statutory duty to commission a Local Healthwatch and a broader leadership role in improving health, wellbeing, and reducing inequalities.

Local Healthwatch Medway ensures residents’ views shape health and social care services. This supports better commissioning and delivery across the system.

Established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, Healthwatch is the independent consumer champion for patients, service users, and carers.

There are 152 Local Healthwatch organisations across England, alongside Healthwatch England, which uses national evidence to influence policy.

Together, they provide a statutory voice for the public, helping to improve accountability, service quality, and outcomes.

Lot 3: Carers Information, Guidance and Support, Young Carers and Carers Support Payments (Adult and Young Carers Support Services)

Provider: Carers First.

The service supports adult and young carers at every stage of their caring role, from initial diagnosis or age-related needs through to end of life. Support also continues after the cared-for person has died, for as long as it is needed.

Support is flexible and accessible, including face-to-face, online, and in outreach settings to reach harder-to-engage groups.

The service ensures carers have access to the right advice, information, support services, and respite (short breaks).

Carers First work closely with adult social care and are able to carry out Carers Assessments if required. They also maintain a regular presence within social care teams to strengthen joint working.

Lot 4: Children’s and Adults Visually Impaired Support and Information Services

Provider: Kent Association for the Blind (KAB).

This service helps us meet our legal duties under the Care Act 2014 (Section 77(1)). We must keep registers of people who are blind (severely sight impaired) and partially sighted (sight impaired). These registers help plan and deliver appropriate services.

The service provides support to blind and visually impaired adults and young people in Medway. This includes:

  • assessments
  • rehabilitation
  • equipment
  • advice
  • signposting.

The focus is on helping people remain independent, make their own choices, and be fully involved in their communities.

Rehabilitation for people with visual impairments is a type of early intervention. This helps people maintain independence and can reduce or delay the need for long-term care.

Wellbeing Navigation Service

This contract runs from April 2023 for 36 months. There is an option to extend the contract for a further 2 years, for a total of 24 months.

The service is provided by IMAGO.

The Wellbeing Navigation Service delivers a person-centred navigation and social prescribing service. This supports people to access services that meet their needs including:

  • appropriate health
  • social care
  • community
  • voluntary sector.

Care navigation is a key component of integrated care. It provides coordination and support to help people access the right services at the right time.

Through effective signposting, guidance, and ongoing support, the service contributes to improved health and wellbeing outcomes and a more seamless experience across health and social care systems.

Wellbeing Navigators

Wellbeing Navigators are non-clinical practitioners who receive referrals and work collaboratively with individuals to identify their needs, strengths, and goals.

Wellbeing Navigation link workers are trained to an appropriate standard, ranging from essential to advanced levels of practice. They support individuals to:

  • better manage their health and wellbeing
  • promote independence and resilience
  • help prevent the escalation of health conditions or the development of additional clinical needs.

This support enables people to take greater control of their own wellbeing and access community-based support.

The service is based on a person-centred approach, fostering an equal and supportive relationship between the individual and the link worker.