Evaluation of the Peer Support Specialists and Emergency Department Pilot Programme

Details

Future Procurement Opportunity: Independent Evaluation of the Peer Support Specialists in Emergency Departments (PSS/ED) Pilot Programme
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora intends to run an open, competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process to commission an independent evaluation of the Peer Support Specialists in Emergency Departments (PSS/ED) pilot programme. This initiative embeds trained Peer Support Specialists within Emergency Departments (EDs) to provide immediate, empathetic support to tāngata whaiora during acute distress.
The evaluation will explore implementation (including preparation to embed peer support within clinical settings),and assess emerging outcomes across up to eight hospital sites. These include operational pilots at Middlemore, Auckland, Waikato, Wellington, and Christchurch, with expansion planned for North Shore, Tauranga, and Dunedin. The evaluation will focus on the role of peer support in improving tāngata whaiora experience, cultural safety, and equity within high-pressure clinical environments.
Central to the evaluation is the requirement that CPSLE values guide the approach. Health NZ is seeking providers who are either peer-led or have strong, formalised partnerships with peer-led entities/people with lived experience, who have peer support expertise (joint proposals with a lead provider indicated will be accepted).
The evaluation will need to align with these values in the CPSLE Competencies, including mutuality, experiential knowledge, self-determination, participation, equity, and the belief in recovery and hope. These values are essential for understanding the impact of peer support in emergency department settings and for ensuring that the evaluation captures the authentic experiences of tāngata whaiora.
Evaluators must demonstrate cultural competence and the ability to engage meaningfully with diverse communities, particularly Māori.
The RFP will be open to peer-led organisations, CPSLE consultants, kaupapa Māori and Pacific-led groups, and collaborative partnerships that demonstrate evaluation and research expertise. Respondents must have proven capability in designing and conducting Respondents must have proven capability in designing and conducting evaluation and/or research activities relevant to the initiative.
•RFP Release: Early to Mid June 2025
Note: This is a Future Procurement Opportunity (FPO). It signals upcoming procurement activity and does not constitute a commitment to purchase.