The Director of Public Health approves the award of a 3 year contract, with effect from 1 April 2024 at a total value of £381,461.40 (£127,153.80) per annum), to Wirral Multicultural Organisation to engage local Ethnic Minority communities by providing active outreach into communities with a particular focus on supporting the resettlement programme with Asylum Seekers in Wirral and helping address the health inequalities that exist amongst the migrant population.

This is a new service to manage the increased demand within the local migrant community and Asylum Seekers. Health protection risks are of particular concern due to the potential for disease spread within contingency and dispersed accommodation settings or within the wider community – particularly where there is significant mixing and crowding. Identifying and managing infectious diseases is complex in asylum seeker hotel settings. Proposed increases to hotel occupancy over coming months creates an increased likelihood/risk of infectious disease incidence and spread in these settings, as well as greater practical challenges in preventing, identifying and managing cases or outbreaks of infectious disease, and further pressure on the healthcare system in providing for the health needs of these populations.
A procurement exercise has been completed in accordance with Council Contract Procedure Rules. The contract will be awarded to Wirral Multicultural Organisation who were the highest scoring tenderer in accordance with the Most Economically Advantageous Tender criteria. The new contract will be in place on 1st April 2024.

It is necessary to commission the service highlighted in order to comply with Public Contract Regulations and the Council’s Contract Procedure rules. Other options related to contract length and contract value have been considered and discounted.