ADHD diagnostic assessment, prescribing and titration service
DGS Health is pleased to announce that it has been conditionally awarded a new NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board contract to provide ADHD diagnostic assessment, prescribing and titration services for patients across Kent and Medway.
The contract is for an initial three-year term, with the option of a further one-year extension, and represents an important milestone in the continued development of DGS Health as a trusted provider of high-quality NHS services. The award remains subject to completion of the final contractual documentation.
This is particularly significant because it is a new service for DGS Health. Following a competitive process, the organisation was successful because of the strength of its proposal and the quality of the service model developed.
The successful bid was built around a consultant-led, GP Federation-delivered model, bringing together specialist expertise with the accessibility, continuity and local knowledge of primary care. DGS Health has assembled an experienced multidisciplinary team that will work collaboratively to deliver safe, timely and high-quality care for patients.
The service has an interesting history. The concept was originally developed during a period when the Federation was seeking innovative ways to diversify its income and strengthen its long-term sustainability. What began as a response to organisational challenge has evolved into a significant opportunity to improve access to specialist care whilst creating additional capacity and expertise within the local health system.
Established in 2014, DGS Health has grown into a mature and trusted NHS provider. While many GP Federations nationally have faced significant challenges over recent years, DGS Health has continued to strengthen its governance, operational capability and financial resilience. Today, the organisation delivers a growing portfolio of NHS services, including the Dartford & Gravesham Urgent Treatment Centre, alongside a range of services supporting member practices and the wider health system.
This latest contract represents more than the delivery of a single service. It reflects the confidence that NHS Kent and Medway has in DGS Health’s ability to deliver high-quality services at scale and supports the organisation’s ambition to become an integral part of a Kent and Medway-wide Primary Care Provider Collaborative.
That ambition aligns closely with the strategic direction being developed across Kent and Medway. Federation leaders from across the county are actively working together to establish a Primary Care Provider Collaborative, with organisational development work well underway and legal teams developing the governance and organisational structures required to support the collaborative. The aim is to create a strong, clinically led provider organisation capable of supporting the NHS’s shift towards delivering more care in neighbourhood, community and primary care settings.
Dr Krishan Bhanot, Chief Executive Officer of DGS Health, said:
“This contract represents another important milestone in DGS Health’s journey. Over the past twelve years we have evolved from a Federation established to support member practices into a trusted provider of NHS services with an established track record of delivery. This award reflects the strength of our consultant-led, GP Federation-delivered model and demonstrates what can be achieved when experienced clinicians and operational leaders work together with a shared purpose. We are also encouraged by the increasingly positive relationships we continue to build with NHS Kent and Medway and look forward to playing our part in developing a strong Primary Care Provider Collaborative that supports the future of neighbourhood healthcare across Kent and Medway.”
The organisation would also like to place on record its sincere thanks to Jolyn Phillips, Director of Operations, and Kate Bushell, Chief Nurse, whose vision, leadership and determination have been instrumental in developing this service from concept through to contract award. Alongside their substantive roles, they have invested an extraordinary amount of time and energy in designing the service model, preparing the bid, building the operational framework and working through the many complexities required to bring the project to fruition. Their commitment has gone far beyond what could reasonably have been expected, and this achievement is a testament to their professionalism and dedication to improving care for patients across Kent and Medway.
DGS Health looks forward to working closely with NHS Kent and Medway, member practices and system partners to deliver an outstanding service for patients while continuing to develop innovative models of care that support the future sustainability of primary care across Kent and Medway.
