Expanding Access to Musculoskeletal (MSK) Physical Activity Hubs in the Community (MSK Hubs)

It is strongly desirable that a provider(s):

·         Is a Charity or a not-for-profit organisation (registered by Companies House), utilised for distribution of funding. 

·         Has the capacity to set up and launch a minimum of 40 MSK Physical Activity Hubs in the Community within an agreed timeframe. These MSK Hubs will be part of an evolving project that supports the integration of MSK Hubs within a local system. It is anticipated that all the MSK Hubs will be fully integrated into local and wider systems over the funding period (ends March 2028), aligning with neighbourhood approaches and wider work and health interventions such as WorkWell.

·         Has the capacity to securely collect, collate and return the minimum set of Management Information data (as specified by the JWHD in Supplementary Information in the Q&A document sent to the Mailing List: sign up here), as well as work with a Third-party evaluation partner commissioned by the JWHD via the NIHR to facilitate evaluation of the service.

·         Has experience delivering or facilitating the delivery of MSK physical activity interventions provided by non-healthcare professionals across England.

·         Has experience of working with/enabling delivery at a local level with local NHS economies, Local Government and voluntary and community sector (including leisure and fitness), including how to enable participation among underserved communities.

·         Has delivered or supported a range of physical activity delivery options including group-based and individual, delivered in person and/or online.

·         Has established networks at national and local level to facilitate identification of collaborators; delivery sites and ability to enable an integrated, connected, local systems approach.

·         Successful applicants will be required to undergo proportionate financial and organisational due diligence prior to any grant award. This may include, but is not limited to, assessment of financial viability, governance arrangements, and the applicant’s ability to manage public funds in line with grant requirements.

·         Grant funding will be conditional on the outcome of these checks and on the successful execution of a Grant Funding Agreement.

Consortium applications:

·         Applications are welcome from consortia. Where applications are submitted on a consortium basis, a single organisation must be nominated as the lead applicant and will be the accountable grant recipient.

·         The lead applicant will be responsible for entering into the Grant Funding Agreement with the Department and for ensuring delivery, financial management, monitoring and returning data as well as reporting across all consortium partners.

·         Successful consortia may be required to put in place a consortium agreement or memorandum of understanding between partners as a condition of grant award. All consortia members will undergo financial due diligence, not just the lead.

Expectations of a provider:

A Provider(s) will be expected to:

·         Manage and distribute grant funding in line with the agreed schedule. Produce and manage detailed delivery plans. Note: detailed delivery plans will be required prior to initiation of the grant, including evidence of key criteria and capabilities required to deliver specified grant outcomes. This will include specific details on governance arrangements i.e. training, management of data, involvement with the evaluation.

o        Collect, collate and return the minimum set of Management Information data (as specified by the JWHD in Supplementary Information in the Q&A document sent to the Mailing List: sign up here), as well as working with a third-party evaluation partner commissioned by the JWHD via the NIHR to facilitate analysis of the service.

o        Adhere to DHSC’s grant monitoring arrangements, including ongoing monthly and quarterly reporting of KPIs and progress against key milestones will also be expected as part of delivery plans (including financial reporting on grant expenditure).

o        Complete Financial reconciliation information before each instalment is paid, such as a requirement for invoices and evidence of spend.

·         Design, develop and implement a minimum of 40 new MSK Hubs by January 2027 with a minimum target of 25 starters per MSK Hub in 26/27, and 180 per MSK Hub in 27/28. These Hubs should be integrated with the local system employment support offer and wider work and health interventions (including WorkWell).

·         Deliver accessible evidence-based physical activity interventions to individuals with a wide range of MSK conditions to reduce pain & fatigue, improve mobility, increase wellbeing and support these individuals to get into, return to and remain in work.

·         Target delivery towards those who experience inequalities, such as people living in areas with the highest MSK waiting lists, higher prevalence of MSK conditions, and greater levels of deprivation. Relevant links for MSK Waiting Lists and Levels of Deprivation are in the ‘Supporting Information’ tab.

·         Provide a range of delivery formats, including group-based and individual activity, delivered in person and/or online with support provided by qualified instructors with options tailored to local need and resources.

·         Provide supported self-management approaches including health coaching approaches and peer support to deliver sustained behaviour change and improvements in health.

·         Embed and align delivery with vocational and employment support as part of a personalised approach, supporting participants to get into, return to and remain in work. This includes establishing effective referral and signposting pathways with employment and work‑and‑health services, including but not limited to Jobcentre Plus and Health Model Offices where appropriate.

·         Ensure MSK Hubs are provided for free for an initial four free sessions for all participants and twelve free sessions for eligible individuals referred from Jobcentre Plus teams and Health Model Offices.

·         Integrate MSK Hubs into local and wider systems, aligning with neighbourhood approaches and wider work and health interventions such as WorkWell.

·         Utilise innovative delivery models such as collaborations with businesses to set up MSK Hubs within local workplaces. NB: Innovative delivery models are welcomed where they demonstrably support the core objectives of the grant. Innovation should not compromise delivery of minimum hub numbers, participant volumes, data collection, or evaluation requirements.

·         Engage with local communities, VCSE organisations and people with lived experience of MSK conditions in the design, development and implementation of MSK Hubs.

·         Consider sustainability, including how delivery models and partnerships can be continued beyond the initial funding period. It is expected that by the end of the funding period (March 2028), each local MSK Hub will have an ‘exit plan’ that identifies how it will continue to operate beyond the length of the funding (this can include self-funded approaches, but consideration should be made to outline how those from lower socioeconomic groups will be supported).   

·         A Provider(s) will be required to support the Hubs evaluation, including by:

o        collecting a full individual-level, non-anonymised Management Information dataset, as specified by the JWHD, and submit the data monthly to the Authority and/or a commissioned Third Party;

o        engaging in the mandatory collection of Hubs Participants’ contact details and sharing these with a commissioned Third Party, to be used to invite clients to participate in evaluation activities, and stipulate this to Hub Participants as a condition of receiving the intervention;

o        engaging with a commissioned Third Party to share provider experiences; and

o        engaging Hub Participants and other stakeholders, as specified by the Authority and/or a commissioned Third Party, in the evaluation, potentially including advertising the evaluation and inviting them to participate.

·         Design and deliver a communication and engagement campaign to promote awareness and confidence of the service at a local level for participants, healthcare professionals and employment/vocational support.

·         Maintain appropriate governance arrangements, including safeguarding, workforce training, data protection, and quality assurance.

·         Adhere to an agreed governance and escalation process, including contributing to an Expert Steering Group for the entire project, working alongside existing MSK hubs to align the model and share best practice.

NB: Applicants should be clear that they are expected to use existing or adapted internal systems, and that any development or system changes must be budgeted for within the Grant funding available.

The project aims to improve health and work outcomes for individuals with MSK conditions by providing access to MSK physical activity interventions in community settings utilising capacity in the leisure and physical activity sector workforce. The project focuses on individuals with MSK conditions who experience inequalities, such as those living in areas with the highest MSK waiting lists, higher prevalence of MSK conditions and greater levels of deprivation. Relevant links for MSK Waiting Lists and Levels of Deprivation are in the ‘Supporting Information’ tab.

By supporting individuals with MSK conditions through MSK Hubs and promoting more local, accessible and integrated models of care, the project is expected to reduce pressure on NHS services by enabling individuals to manage their MSK conditions outside of, but aligned with, primary and secondary care. This approach has the potential to support reductions in waiting lists through the provision of effective community-based support.

This project supports wider Government priorities set out in the 10 Year Health Plan, supporting a shift from hospital to community and from sickness to prevention. It also supports the Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth by helping people with MSK conditions to remain healthy, independent and able to participate in work.

As well as aligning with wider health improvement and health services within a local system, the MSK Hubs will be expected to align with local employment/vocational support, helping people with MSK conditions get into, return to and remain in work – including facilitating referrals to MSK Hubs from Jobcentres, Health Model Offices and other employment support services (e.g. WorkWell) where an individual has an MSK condition. Similarly, the project will aim to facilitate MSK Hubs to refer and signpost individuals to employment/vocational support where an employment need is identified.

It is anticipated that the MSK Hubs will be fully integrated into local and wider systems over the funding period (ends March 2028), aligning with neighborhood approaches and wider work and health interventions. Alongside this, consideration should be given to sustainability, including how delivery can be continued beyond the initial funding period and how approaches can support sustained behaviour change among people with MSK conditions.

It is anticipated that the following outcomes will be achieved through this work:

·         Activation of an increased number of places delivering MSK physical activity interventions in a range of community settings.

·         Interventions demonstrating engagement with those who experience health inequality and those from areas with highest MSK waiting lists, higher prevalence of MSK conditions and those in areas of deprivation.

·         Health outcomes: improved MSK health and wellbeing, including reductions in individual’s fatigue and pain levels, improved mobility and overall wellbeing. 

·         Employment outcomes: improved ability for people with MSK conditions to get into, return to and remain in work. The programme will also generate learning on the role of pathways to employment support within community-based MSK models, informing future approaches to integrating health and work support.

With the aim to:

·         Build locally self-sustained delivery of MSK Physical Activity Hubs, that is integrated in a local system.

·         Improvements in the understanding of ‘what works’ to support sustained physical activity behaviour for those with an MSK condition.

·         Alignment between health services, wider community services and vocational support to enable cross sector teams at a local level.

·         Reduced pressure on NHS services by supporting people to manage MSK conditions in community settings, using capacity in the leisure and physical activity sector. This contributes to supporting timely access to care and reducing avoidable demand for primary, secondary, and community MSK services. 

Potential reductions in welfare costs and pressure on health and social care services by supporting improved health, independence and participation in work.

**Outcomes release:**Expected October

If your organisation is interested in this opportunity, please click on the 'Start new application' button and complete the online application form.

During the Application process (14th May – 24th June), there is a Clarification phase. This Clarification phase is set to run from 14th May – 5th June. During this time, we will be hosting two webinars to explain the details of the Grant.

These webinars will be:

·         10:00 - 11:00 Wednesday 20th May

o   Click here to join: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/b34c7f98-dcbb-4724-b9cf-5f95f25b1353@96f1f6e9-1057-4117-ac28-80cdfe86f8c3

·         14:00 - 15:00 Tuesday 2nd June

o   Click here to join: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/fd8c05b5-875f-4299-8265-9b38ad0f8511@96f1f6e9-1057-4117-ac28-80cdfe86f8c3

Any questions arising from these webinars will be answered in a Q&A document that will be circulated regularly to our mailing list. This will also include supplementary information to support your application, so please make sure you are signed up to our mailing list. More information on how to sign up to the mailing list is in the ‘Supporting Information’ tab.

The final deadline for receipt of questions is Friday 5th June.  The final Q&A document will be circulated to the mailing list in the w/c 8th June and will mark the end of the Clarification Phase.

Scoring Information:

Each application will be assessed against the following principles, as well as the alignment with the guidance set out in the questions and achievability and costs/value for money. The scoring criteria are set out below. Each question will be assessed with a score from 0-6 – with scores being weighted differently – all scores attracting a different weight have been marked accordingly.

For question 5, around funding costs and value for money, this will be scored using a separate scoring matrix. This is set out below, with a score of 1-3. As stated above, some questions will have their scores doubled.

Sustainability will be assessed based on the credibility of proposals to maintain delivery beyond the funding period without reliance on ongoing central grant funding, while continuing to support underserved groups.

Please ensure that all of the key points covered in the ‘Expectations of the Provider’ section (Eligibility Information) are appropriately covered in your proposal.

Assessment principles:

1.    Deliverables: Proposals must be reasonable within the scope of the funding and time parameters available. Proposals should establish that any relevant strategic or operational partners are also committed to the delivery of any proposed model.

2.    Location and Addressing Health Inequalities: Proposals must clearly set out how they will identify and address work and health inequalities and focus on areas with the highest MSK waiting lists, higher prevalence of MSK conditions, and greater levels of deprivation. 

3.    Governance and Evaluation: All proposals should have governance and evaluation at their core. Bidders should clearly set out how they will engage with evaluation partners and what will be put in place to ensure governance, assessment of the service (including continuous improvement), quality of the services, workforce training (including HCP, leisure and physical activity workforce and wider workforce) and safe-guarding high standards of care.

4.    Partnership and Local Delivery: Proposals must clearly set out how they will integrate into local and wider systems including how they will work in partnership with the Joint Work and Health Directorate (JWHD) and wider stakeholders (including delivery partners).

5.    Assessing Cost and Value for Money: The costings and justifications you put forward as part of your application.

Scoring Criteria:

Score

Understanding of Assessment Principles

0

The response did not provide evidence of expert knowledge/that the criteria would be met; and was wholly unsatisfactory in terms of content.

2

The response provided limited evidence of expert knowledge/that the criteria would be met, there were major weaknesses or concerns with the content. The response lacked significant detail/or clarity.

4

The response presented evidence of expert knowledge/that the criteria would be met, good in many respects but with minor weaknesses or concerns with the content.

6

The response was robust, detailed, well-articulated in all material respects providing strong evidence of expert knowledge/that the criteria would be met, with no weaknesses or areas of concern with the content.

Cost scoring criteria:

Score

Application content

1

Application does not include details of costings or costings listed are unreasonable or irreconcilable.

2

Costings appear sensible and proportionate to what the funding is looking to deliver but there is limited to detail on how good value for money will be achieved.

3

Costings appear sensible and proportionate to what the funding is looking to deliver and there is significant detail on how this will achieve good value for money.

Tie-breaker

If there is a tie-breaker, the scores will be ranked as follows:

·         Whoever scored highest on Question 1.2 will score higher.

·         If that is equal, whoever scored highest on Question 2.1 will score higher.

·         If that is equal, whoever scored highest on Question 2.3 will score higher.

·         If that is equal, whoever scored highest on Question 3.2 will score higher.

·         If that is equal, whoever scored highest on Question 5 will score higher.

Please complete this form to be added to our mailing list, where you will receive all of our communications around the Grant including the supplementary information, as well as the regularly updated Q&A list.

If you have any questions, please contact the project team mailbox at jwhd.msk@dwp.gov.uk.

Important Links:

§  Link for MSK Waiting List Data: Statistics » Community health services waiting lists

§  Link for Deprivation Level Data: Local Deprivation Explorer 2025

Glossary:

·       Applicant(s)

o      an eligible organisation applying for funding under this competition, which may include consortia arrangements.

·       Provider(s)

o      Potential successful recipient for funding under this competition, which may include consortia arrangements.

·       MSK

o      Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions cover a wide range of conditions that affect the muscles, bones, joints, and adjacent connective tissues.

·       MSK Hubs

o      MSK Hubs will deliver evidence-based physical activity interventions to individuals with MSK conditions in community venues, to help improve mobility, reduce pain and fatigue, promote wellbeing and support these individuals to get into, return to and remain in work.

·       Evidence-based physical activity interventions

o      Programmes or approaches that can demonstrate that they are based on high quality research and/or developed with clinical expertise.

·       Eligible expenditure

o      Expenditure that can be claimed through the MSK Hubs project.

·       Funding Period

o      Financial years – Year 1, April 2026 to March 2027, Year 2, April 2026 to March 2028.

·       GDPR

o      GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) and UK (United Kingdom) GDPR means the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679, as transposed into UK national law by operation of section 3 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, together with the Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.              

·       JWHD

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) & Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) Joint Work and Health Directorate.