Information for suppliers of sexual health services to residents

Following the implementation of section 6C of the NHS Act and the Local Authorities (Public Health Functions and Entry to Premises by Local Healthwatch Representatives) Regulations 2013, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets undertakes specific public health functions on behalf of the Secretary of State. These include ensuring that suitably qualified and CQC registered open access sexual health services are available to residents in the borough.

The council undertakes this by commissioning Barts Health based within WELR (covering Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Redbridge) to provide the following:

Contraception: 

  • the giving of advice on contraception
  • the medical examination of persons seeking advice on contraception
  • the treatment of such persons and 
  • the supply of contraceptive substances and appliances.

Treatment of sexually transmitted infections:

  • preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections
  • treating, testing and caring for people with such infections and 
  • notifying sexual partners of people with such infections.

Due to the open access nature of sexual health services, residents may choose to use other providers outside Tower Hamlets – out of area providers.

These out of area providers are not directly commissioned by the council. As of 2018-19 we commission an Integrated Sexual Health Service in Tower Hamlets and we will remunerate out of area providers on a similar basis. Prior to 2018-19 we will remunerate for GUM services only. London providers are managed through a separate agreement with host boroughs.

The financial terms for the provision of GUM services to residents for the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2019 are available in the financial terms and for 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 they are available in the financial terms listed below.

Please ensure you quote the correct prices according to the year in which care was provided otherwise your invoice will be rejected.

Providers of GUM services who wish to submit an invoice for payment must be registered with the council's system and fully comply with the process for payment.

Failure to comply with the financial terms outlined and follow the payment process detailed will lead to a rejection of an invoice. No alternative payment terms or mechanisms are available.

Please note all invoices and backing data must be received within 12 months of the previous calendar year in order to be considered for payment. 

Answer:

Period covered: 

1 April 2012 to 31 March 2020  
1. Providers are required to report activity data to Pathway Analytics (where applicable) and GUMCAD within agreed timescales

2. GUM invoices remunerated at the host borough rate

3. First to follow up attendance ratios need to be monitored and reported with accompanying explanatory narrative

4. Requests for payment must follow payment mechanism as detailed on the supplier’s information website and fully supply requested backing data - failure to do so will lead to a rejection of invoices.

5. Any correspondence relating to invoices must confirm the following:

a. provider is registered on the council’s payment system
b. supporting backing data has been sent to Reshma.Patel@Newham.gov.uk
c. prices are in accordance with prevailing terms for the relevant year ie 2014/15 or 2015/16, 2016/17,2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20
d. PO number was quoted on the invoice
e. invoices should be sent electronically via the council’s payment system, posted to London Borough of Tower Hamlets Payments Section, PO Box 501, Telford, TF2 2HN or emailed to THCouncil.Invoices@proactiscapture.com.

Answer:

Period covered:

1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020

1. Integrated or GUM invoices remunerated at the host borough rate

2. Providers are required to report activity data to Pathway Analytics (where applicable) and/or GUMCAD within agreed timescales

3. Requests for payment must follow payment mechanism as detailed on the supplier’s information website and fully supply requested backing data - failure to do so will lead to a rejection of invoices.

4. Any correspondence relating to invoices must confirm the following:

a. provider is registered on the council’s payment system

b. supporting backing data has been sent to Reshma.Patel@Newham. gov.uk

c. prices are in accordance with prevailing financial terms for 2019-20

d. PO number was quoted on the invoice.

e. invoices should be sent electronically to the council’s payment system.

5. If the provider is remunerated through the Integrated Sexual Health tariff facilitated by Pathway Analytics they must:

a. submit data within 20 days after the end of the previous calendar month

b. submit an invoice via the council’s payment system

c. ensure the invoice value matches the pathway analytics otherwise the invoice will be rejected.

Answer:
1. Providers must already be registered on the council’s payment system - no other payment mechanism is available. 

2. A purchase order (PO) number will be issued to regular suppliers at the beginning of the financial year. All other providers will be issued with a PO number upon completion of registration onto the council’s payment system.

3. Providers must submit backing data – within 1 month of the end of the reporting period. This is essential to enable services provided to be validated and invoices processed promptly.

4. GUM backing data report must contain the following:
a. provider code
b. local authority name
c. LSOA11 code - using the LSOA coding method. LSOA will determine which locally authority should bear the costs when partial postcode is a fringe (sharing more than one LA)
d. partial postcodes - This needs to be the first part of the postcode and the first digit after the space ( E1 8AB = E1 8, IG11 7ND = IG11 7)
e. POD (Point of delivery) -Type of activity
f. activity
g. total charge in accordance with the financial terms issued by the council for prevailing year
h. HRG4 - where applicable
i. speciality code – this will be the actual treatment code - please note that the council will pay for First and Follow Up attendances only. Any other treatments would not normally be paid
j. appointment date.

5. If remuneration is through Pathway Analytics all of the fields must be completed.

6. The backing data report in this format must be sent to Reshma.Patel@Newham.gov.uk.

7. Please note the LSOA11 data can be downloaded from https://geoportal.statistics.gov.uk search for ONSPD. This will take you into the LSOA results then select the latest postcode directory.

8. In the event of any discrepancy, WELR Shared Service will contact you to highlight where the backing data has not passed validation.

9. Invoices should contain the following information:
a. date of invoice, tax point
b. supplier company name and contact details in case of a query
c. the valid purchase order number provided by the council taken from the order we have emailed or otherwise sent to you. Please note that if a valid purchase order is not quoted, the invoice may be returned unpaid
d. the agreed charges
e. any applicable tax element, e.g. VAT, separately identified
f. confirmation that the services detailed have been fully performed.

10. It is the Shared Service policy not to part pay invoices. If you “over” invoice, the invoice will not be paid and you will be asked to issue a credit note. When we have processed the credit note the invoice will be paid.

11. Requests for payment must follow payment mechanism and fully supply requested backing data - failure to do so will lead to a rejection of invoices.

12. Any correspondence in relation to an outstanding invoice must confirm the following:
a. provider is registered on the council’s payment system
b. supporting backing data has been sent to Reshma.Patel@Newham.gov.uk
c. prices are in accordance with the council’s prevailing terms for the relevant year
d. PO number was quoted on the invoice
e. Invoice was sent via the council’s payment system posted to London Borough of Tower Hamlets Payments Section, PO Box 501, Telford, TF2 2HN or emailed to THCouncil.Invoices@proactiscapture.com
f. failure to confirm a-e will result in a standard response requesting necessary steps are taken in relation to published terms.
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