Tender Details

Hospital avoidance and discharge support services for younger patients under 65 years

Business Name

Queensland Health

VP Reference #

VP473055

Buyers Reference #

PCPP-250811-EOI

Opens

Monday 11 August 2025 (E. Australia Standard Time)

Closes

Friday 19 September 2025 04:00 PM (E. Australia Standard Time) CLOSED

Supplier query cut-off

Friday 12 September 2025 04:00 PM (E. Australia Standard Time)

Expected decision

Monday 01 December 2025 (E. Australia Standard Time)

Buyer Details

Business Name

Queensland Health

Location

33 Charlotte St
Brisbane City, Queensland 4000
Australia

WebSite:

https://www.health.qld.gov.au/comments

Business Info

Strategy, Policy and Reform Division (SPRD) is responsible for driving the reform agenda for public health in Queensland. SPRD works closely with other Queensland Government agencies to ensure that public health reforms across the Queensland Health system align with whole-of-government priorities.

Contact Name

Danny Jacobsen

Position:

Principal Policy Officer

Primary phone:

0434 964 093

Mobile phone:

None Provided

Fax number:

None Provided

Email:

danny.jacobsen@health.qld.gov.au

What the buyer is requesting

Details

Expressions of interest are sought by the Customer in relation to the supply of hospital avoidance and discharge support services for National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) eligible persons aged 0-65 years who may experience complex behaviours of concern (BoC) and are medically ready for discharge from hospital, or who are in the community and do not require hospital-based acute healthcare support.

**NOTE** Potential suppliers should read the attached EOI document. The document contains a link to register to attend a market briefing planned for Monday 1 September 2025 at 3pm via Microsoft Teams.

Achieving timely hospital discharge and facilitating smooth care transitions between home and hospital is an important part of ensuring Queenslanders receive the care and support they need. Submissions may need to consider transitional solutions however, long-term solutions should be prioritised.

The services sought through this process will contribute to the Queensland Government’s initiatives and commitments aimed at addressing extended hospital stays beyond the point of clinical need and enhancing hospital avoidance strategies.

The purpose of this EOI is to identify potential Suppliers with the requisite capacity, capability and experience to deliver a range of best practice services in support of LSYP, including those with BoC, which avoid non-clinically indicated hospital admission and expedite discharge through transitional disability care services and/or accommodation supports.

The EOI process has been specifically selected to embed flexibility through the procurement and encourage innovative and novel solutions from a range of Suppliers.

Background information / Compatibility requirements

Details

Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) often care for Long-Stay Younger Patients (LSYP), including those with BoC, who are medically ready for discharge as ‘providers of last resort’ contributing to unnecessary, extended lengths of hospital stay. Queensland Health has limited services to meet the care and accommodation needs for this cohort. Acute health facilities are not appropriate places for people to await safe care and accommodation option, however, a number of non-medical admissions occur as a result of NDIS providers relinquishing people to hospital either when funding is exhausted, or the person’s care needs (including behaviours) are beyond the capacity of the provider.

**NOTE** Potential suppliers should read the attached EOI document. The document contains a link to register to attend a market briefing planned for Monday 1 September 2025 at 3pm via Microsoft Teams.

The Customer is seeking submissions from a range of Supplier types, including:

(a) registered NDIS providers;

(b) organisations willing to undergo the required NDIS registration process;

(c) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services;

(d) private business such as primary care, community pharmacy and workforce agencies;

(e) private hospital providers;

(f) cross-sector partners such as Housing and Social Services; and

(g) builders and/ or capital developers.

The Customer is open to collaborative submissions involving multiple suppliers.

Without meaningful and innovative solutions focussed on care in an appropriate environment, patients will continue to face lengthy inappropriate hospital admissions. These admissions contribute to isolation from support networks and unnecessary exposure to the use of restrictive practices and trauma. First Nations peoples will continue to be over-represented within this cohort. In addition, HHSs will continue to experience high-risk patient and staff safety issues, extended lengths of stay and lower bed capacity, at a significant cost to the health system. There is also a cost to the community as there is a reduction in access to acute care due to beds being held by patients not requiring acute healthcare.

Persons aged 0-65 years who remain NDIS eligible may be considered for inclusion.

Of all LSYP within Queensland Hospital and Health Services:

• 87% are identified as NDIS eligible;

• 72% are NDIS participants (those identified NDIS eligible are expected to transition to participant);

• 16% were admitted for non-clinical need;

• 41% have a Mental Health diagnosis is related to their long stay admission; and

• 20.5% are First Nations peoples.

LSYP may experience multiple barriers incongruent with sustainable discharge from hospital. The following barriers contributing to discharge delays of LSYP have been identified as:

• 30.2% are waiting for suitable accommodation due to a range of factors including:

o no available accommodation option;

o social housing delays;

o NDIS SIL approval, delay and availability;

o NDIS SDA approval or availability;

• 29% where behaviours of concern may have contributed to delays in discharge;

• 21.5% are awaiting NDIS plan review or their NDIS plan is inadequate; and

• 15.6% are awaiting NDIS access or plan approval.

Desired Outcomes ('Nice to haves', Conditions & Warranties, SLA's, Project benefits)

Details

The purpose of this EOI is to identify potential Suppliers with the requisite capacity, capability and experience to deliver a range of best practice services in support of LSYP, including those with BoC, which avoid non-clinically indicated hospital admission and expedite discharge through transitional disability care services and/or accommodation supports.

The Customer has issued this EOI with the objectives of attracting high-quality, innovative solutions from Suppliers which:

(a) reduce the length of time LSYP, including those with BoC, remain in HHSs beyond the point of clinical need;

(b) reduce non-medical hospital admissions and rate of re-admission for non-clinical care;

(c) reduce the cost of care and support for LSYP; and

(d) improve safety for HHS staff and the quality of care for LSYP including those with BoC.

Guiding principles for the design, development and implementation of services are as follows:

(a) Transitional – Arrangement is transitional with a commitment to prioritising sustainable transition into long-term care and accommodation within a community-based home environment in-line with contemporary approaches.

(b) Human Rights – All care interventions are delivered with compassion and respect for an individual’s dignity and human rights.

(c) Continuity – Target cohort are supported to maintain arrangements with existing NDIS providers wherever preferred, safe and possible.

(d) Safety – Care is delivered in a way which minimises risk and promotes the well-being and safety of all persons.

(e) Culturally Responsive – Care is considerate of staff and patient cultural factors that may influence decision-making, specifically targeting cultural safety for First Nations patients.

(f) Financial Accountability – Funding should be identified and sought through primary sources, where possible, prior to utilising transitional arrangements which give due consideration to sustainable funding.

(g) Person-centred – Engages with the person, their families and carers to promote independence and meet the person’s goals whilst facilitating choice and control into long-term care arrangements.

Services are expected to be made available for up to a three-month period to persons who meet target cohort requirements and who are either, in hospital and medically ready for discharge, or who are in the community and do not require hospital-based, acute healthcare support.

Project Requirements may be achieved through a variety of services and supports. This information is not intended to be exhaustive, nor does it purport to explore all available options for undertaking the requested services, but rather broad and permissive, to enable potential Suppliers to collaboratively develop services based upon individual patient needs assessments. Proposed supports should align with the services, items and equipment that can be supported by the NDIS. The full list of NDIS supported services, items and equipment is available here. A potential scope of Supplier services are detailed below:

(a) assistance with daily living;

(b) meals, both assistance with preparation and/ or eating;

(c) community access, including assistance with travel and organising appointments;

(d) positive behaviour supports;

(e) specialist allied health support coordination;

(f) disability related health supports (including assistive technology);

(g) accommodation and workforce with capacity and capability to meet non-acute high-care needs:

i. complex physical needs;

ii. progression of chronic disease; and

iii. behaviours of concern.

(h) new capital builds on Queensland Health or Non-Queensland Health land;

(i) capacity to deliver services that provide timely support and management of complex social needs, financial issues, legal issues, family conflict resolution and guardianship;

(j) timely and affordable access to medical, nursing and allied health assessment and management within the community; and

(k) additional interim and transitional care options.

**NOTE** Potential suppliers should read the attached EOI document. The document contains a link to register to attend a market briefing planned for Monday 1 September 2025 at 3pm via Microsoft Teams.

Questions asked by the buyer

Question 1 - [Required]

3.1 Comply with the Ethical Supplier Threshold;
(a) the Supplier demonstrates active compliance.

Question 2 - [Required]

3.2 Conformance to Requirements;
(a) the Supplier communicates a clear vision that meets the EOI Objectives and Requirements.
(b) the Supplier demonstrates alignment with, and incorporation of, the EOI Principles within proposed services.

Question 3 - [Required]

3.3 Capacity, capability and experience;
(a) the Supplier demonstrates:
i. the scope of proposed activities and services including clinical, clinical supports and non-clinical services;
ii. capacity to deliver (including any minimum and maximum levels) activities and services;
iii. capacity to deliver culturally safe services for First Nations peoples;
iv. the capability to deliver best practice care for patients with complex needs including those with BoC;
v. access to a wide variety of healthcare workforce, specifically allied health;
vi. organisational and key personnel experience to:
• provide intensive case coordination;
• navigate NDIS processes, including the access process;
• work cooperatively with HHSs including delivering healthcare services under contract; and
vii. corporate structure and the identity of all known interested companies (including proposed third-party involvement) for the Supplier.

Question 4 - [Required]

3.4 Value for money;
(a) the Supplier provides preliminary costed options for activities and services which demonstrate:
i. consistency with commensurate services;
ii. considerations and contributing factors for any costings that deviate from those of commensurate services;
iii. how the submission delivers value and innovation to the provision of healthcare services to the community;
iv. consideration is applied to the methodology supporting a patient’s transition to sustainable funding; and
v. prioritises utilisation of primary funding sources.

Question 5 - [Required]

3.5 Safety and quality.
(a) the Supplier demonstrates comprehensive:
i. governance, quality and safety processes (including accreditations, service quality and client data collection and management);
ii. incident management processes including reporting time frames;
iii. risk / benefit analysis and management; and
iv. consideration of patient choice and control incorporated into the Suppliers’ approach to transitioning patients to long-care arrangements.

Question 6 - [Required]

Outline your experience with similar projects (give examples).

Question 7 - [Required]

Please provide an overview of your available resources.

Question 8 - [Required]

What support is required to enable provision of services outlined in this EOI?

Supplier lists selected

Lists

Community & Social Services
Construction & Operation
Healthcare Services
Personal & Domestic Services

Categories selected