Decision details

That the Cabinet Member:

1.     Notes that Appendices 1–4 and Annex 3 are not for publication on the basis that they contain information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) as set out in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

2.     Approves the intention to award the contract to the preferred supplier for the delivery of a new Weight Management Service for Hammersmith & Fulham.

3.     Delegates authority to the Interim Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Executive Director of People’s Services, to finalise the award and enter into the contract.

1.     Providing health improvement and preventative public health services that improve the health of people who live in the borough is a duty of local authority public health teams and therefore commissioning this service will assist H&F in meeting their legislative obligations.

2.     The new service will deliver universal early intervention and obesity prevention services for all ages across the lifespan, with a focus on communities at higher risk of developing obesity; and a targeted ‘Tier 2’ adult weight management programme for adults who reside, study or are registered with a GP in H&F.

3.     Procuring a weight management service for the borough aligns with both the H&F Corporate Plan 2023–2026^[1] and the H&F Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2024–2029^[2]. It supports the Council’s commitment to building a stronger, safer, and kinder borough by enhancing early intervention and prevention efforts, and ensuring that residents have access to supportive and effective weight management services.

4.     The new weight management service will support key H&F priorities related to living well and ageing well; early intervention; and supporting people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). It will also complement delivery of the Council’s new Active Wellbeing Strategy and associated action plan.

Option 1: Decommission the service or requirement – Not recommended

1.     This is not recommended as it would mean not having a service for weight management in the borough, which is a standard service commissioned by Public Health in local authorities in the UK, and helps H&F to meet the duty of local authority Public Health teams  to improve the health of people who live in their area (Section 12 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012).

Option 2: Deliver the service in-house (make/buy decision) – Not recommended

2.     This is not recommended due to the need for an appropriate clinical governance structure and workforce, which is not currently in place within H&F to make this possible. There are also significant cost, risk and oversight implications if sought to implement this option. Furthermore, the required software systems are not currently in place to support provision of this service in-house.

Option 3: Use an existing contract, established by the Council, to provide the supplies, services, and/or works – Not recommended

3.     This is not recommended as there has not been a weight management service commissioned by the Council since the previous weight management service was decommissioned in 2023. There are no appropriate existing services with the required key supplier staffing to deliver this service in H&F.

Option 4: Undertake a fully regulated competitive and compliant procurement process, advertised to the market – Recommended

4.     This procurement process was agreed in the procurement strategy in December 2024, adhering to the Provider Selection Regime’s competitive process procedure. A transparent, open process was followed, allowing any eligible providers to bid via CapitalESourcing following market engagement. Given a very buoyant market for weight management service providers in London, this process allowed market testing, provider innovation, and ensured best value.