Agenda item

Mr Richard Streatfeild was in attendance for this item.

1.       The Report was presented by the Head of Transformation, Delivery and Support, Ms Paula Parker.

2.       Some of the key highlights were as follows:

a)       The current contract supported around 3,800 older people assessed to require care and support which could not be delivered in their own home. 

b)       The current contract had been in place for 12 years and was scheduled to end in March 2026, unless new arrangements were in place.

3.       Councillor Richard Streatfeild was in attendance for this item in his capacity as a local Member.  He drew the following points to the Committee’s attention:

a)       That he was previously a Member of the Adult Social Care Committee and when the contract was first let, it was valued at £100 million per year. On the most recent figures, the contract was valued at £235 million per year. In reference to the forecast in the business case, the growth was anticipated as 45% in the first year of growth and 2.8% in the following three years.

b)       Mr Streatfeild commented that to achieve the percentage of forecast growth, there was an assumption that the demographic remained the same, however he pointed out that the over 65 population was anticipated to grow across the county by 40%. 

c)       A previous report from the January 2024 Cabinet Committee provided that of the 270 care homes, 179 were on dynamic purchasing (66%). The current paper indicated that the figure was going to move to 70% on 1 April 2026 and to 80% in open framework over 4 years.  Mr Streatfeild referred to the risk register and indicated that it contained a high impact risk due to the high likelihood of providers not accessing the open framework.

d)       Mr Streatfeild indicated that Members should seek assurance that the high impact likelihood risk was either removed or mitigated during the course of the next 4 years.

e)       It was highlighted that the papers from the January 2024 Committee attributed a cost of £150 million per year to the contract whereas the papers before the Committee today provided a contract cost of £222 million.  Mr Streatfeild encouraged Member to enquire as to the reason for the increase.

4.       Mr Smith commented that it was recognised that adult social care saw an average 10% growth every year and only 4% was funded from ring fenced grants, whilst the Authority could budget for around 6%.

5.       The framework was designed to identify providers which the Council wanted to work with, as a whole system approach, that enabled working together to reduce demands of services.  Mr Smith explained that the service users who needed care later in life had multiple needs which increased their support demands. The complexities of this were reflected in the framework.

6.       Quality of service and NHS demand were drivers to the framework and thought had gone into creating a single pathway into adult social care and the market place. Whilst the figures for the contract were large, equally adult social care demands were such that it was required.

7.       The Director for Adult Social Care, Mr Mark Albiston, commented that accommodation was the responsibility of the District Councils and not the County Council.  One of the enablers for reducing spending centred around the development of appropriate extra care provision across Kent.  Mr Albiston clarified that Districts were responsible for planning and the provision of housing.

8.       RESOLVED that the Committee considered and endorsed the proposed Key Decision - 25/00042 Older Persons Residential and Nursing Re-commissioning Contract.