Issue details

21/00110 - Community Based Wellbeing Services and Carers' Short Breaks Contracts

Proposed Decision:

 

Direct award a year contract until 31 March 2023 for the provision of Carers’ Short Breaks;

 

Award contracts for the provision of Community Based Wellbeing Services funded by Kent County Council for a period of three years with the option to extend for further periods of up to two years, and Dementia Coordinator Services funded by the NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group for a period of two years; and

 

Delegate authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health to take other relevant actions, including but not limited to finalising the terms of and entering into required contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision.

 

Reason for the Decision:

 

Adult Social Care has historic grant arrangements in place with voluntary and community sector providers across the county. These grants provide a contribution towards the costs of services that support older people, people living with dementia, people with a physical disability and people with sensory impairments.

 

There are issues related to use of historic grant arrangements including an inconsistency in the type of support and services funded across the county, lack of correlation between spend and demographic factors, limitations in the ability to monitor the performance of services and therefore to understand the impact that services have on people.

 

A phased procurement process was undertaken in 2020 to award three contracts to replace the historic grant arrangements. The three contracts in Phase 1 were awarded in December 2020. The nine contracts in Phases 2 and 3 to be awarded are:

 

·  Older Peoples’ Wellbeing Services in Ashford, Canterbury & Swale

·  Older Peoples’ Wellbeing Services in Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley

·  Specialist Support in the Community for People with a Physical Disability

·  Post Diagnostic Support in the Community for People with Dementia and their Families in West Kent

·  Post Diagnostic Support in the Community for People with Dementia and their Families in East Kent

·  Post Diagnostic Support in the Community for People with Dementia and their Families in North Kent

·  Dementia Coordinator Service in West Kent (procured on behalf of NHS Kent & Medway CCG)

·  Dementia Coordinator Service in East Kent (procured on behalf of NHS Kent & Medway CCG)

·  Dementia Coordinator Service in North Kent (procured on behalf of NHS Kent & Medway CCG)

 

The direct award of the contract for Carers’ Short Breaks will provide continued support for Carers across Kent while the new Kent Adult Carers strategy is developed and the procurement process for a new contract, which will align to the new strategy, is undertaken.

 

This decision supports KCC’s Strategic Statement through supporting key providers that deliver services to older and vulnerable residents that will ensure they are safe and supported with choices to live independently.  This decision relates to the proposal within the Strategic Delivery Plan of moving organisations from grants to contracts.

 

This decision supports the Strategic Reset programme by implementing Asset Based Commissioning.

 

The contracts will enable the Council to meet its duties under the Care Act 2014 by promoting wellbeing for individuals and their Carers, through the provision of information and advice that enables people to make choices about their care, by preventing or delaying people deteriorating to the point where they require health or social care support and through supporting market sustainability.

 

Decision type: Key

Reason Key: Expenditure or savings of more than £1m;

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Division affected: (All Division);

Notice of proposed decision first published: 08/12/2021

Anticipated restriction: Part exempt  - View reasons

Decision due: Not before 29th Jan 2022 by Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health

Lead member: Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health

Lead director: Richard Smith

Department: Social Care, Health & Wellbeing

Contact: Sharon Dene, Senior Commissioning Manager Email: sharon.dene@kent.gov.uk.

Consultees

The proposed decision was discussed at the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee on 18 January 2022 and the recommendations were endorsed.

 

Ms Meade stated that she did not endorse the decision. One Member abstained pending further information.

Financial implications: This decision will result in total expenditure of £15,505,437.89 for KCC. The KCC funded contracts to be awarded will result in the following expenditure for KCC (5 year contract values): - Older Peoples’ Community Wellbeing Services in Ashford, Canterbury & Swale: £4,850,350.68 - Older Peoples’ Community Wellbeing Services in Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley: £ 3,324,460.80 - Specialist Support in the Community for People with a Physical Disability: £767,232.40 - Post Diagnostic Support in the Community for People with Dementia and their Families in West Kent: £1,409,500 - Post Diagnostic Support in the Community for People with Dementia and their Families in East Kent: £1,412,000 - Post Diagnostic Support in the Community for People with Dementia and their Families in North Kent: £1,240,000 The KCC funding value of extending the Carers’ Short Breaks contract agreement from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 will be £2,501,894.01.

Legal implications: The procurement process has been followed in accordance with Public Contracting Regulations 2015.

Equalities implications: An EqIA has been carried out. Potential for adverse impact on some groups with protected characteristics as a result of this project were identified. Actions have been identified to mitigate these effects, including a contractual performance framework that will ensure outcomes of the contract are monitored and delivered for all groups of people with protected characteristics.

Decisions