Decision details

Proposed decision:

Award contracts for the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Service for a period of three years from 1 April 2023 with a two-year (24 months) extension option, to the successful bidders identified as part of the procurement process.

Delegate authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Corporate Director for Finance, to agree the relevant contract extensions as required.

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.

Background:

The current Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Service Contract expires automatically on 31 March 2023. Following a successful procurement process there will be preferred providers to award a new Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Service Contract to, starting from 1 April 2023. The new contract will be for a maximum of three years with a two-year extension option.

The Contract is jointly commissioned by Kent County Council Adult Social Care and Public Health, Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (K&M ICB – Formerly known as Kent & Medway Clinical Commissioning Group) and Medway Council. Medway Council will only be contributing funding for the following service element; The 24-7 Telephone and Online Support Service (Release the Pressure helpline).

The Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Service plays a vital role in ensuring the effective and timely provision of preventative and recovery mental health and wellbeing services and can help meet key priorities:

·   Promote independence, social inclusion and improved quality of life

·   Prevent/reduce admissions to emergency and urgent care

·   Reduce the number of people entering secondary mental health care

·   Reduce suicides

·   Reduce levels of homelessness

·   Improve economic wellbeing and reduce unemployment rates

·   Respond to the high activity and complexity needs of clients living in the community and avoid need for care home admissions

·   Provide more holistic solutions and reduce care packages

·   Improve mental health and wellbeing

·   Play a key role in the delivery of early intervention and prevention strategies.

Financial Implications:

The Contract length will be three years with a two-year extension option. The table below outlines the costs to Adult Social Care and Public Health for the initial 3 years and extension option.

Table 1: Contract costs to Adult Social Care and Public Health (Initial 3 years and extension options)

The above contract values can be funded within the approved budget.

Table 2: Contract costs for Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (formerly Kent & Medway Clinical Commissioning Group)

The service will include an annual inflationary uplift.

There is an objective to move towards equal funding levels from KCC and K&M ICB. To achieve this, it was recommended K&M ICB commit to funding the additional inflationary annual uplift (estimated to a minimum of 2%). K&M ICB has formally approved this recommendation.

Medway Council’s contribution towards the 24-7 Telephone and Online Support Service (Release the Pressure helpline) will be £22,850 annually.

As Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, I agree to:

a) AWARD contracts, to the successful providers identified in the exempt appendix, for the provision of Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Services (known as Live Well Kent and Medway) for a period of three years from 1 April 2023 to 30 March 2026, with the option to extend for a further two years (24 months);

b) DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Corporate Director for Finance, to agree the relevant contract extensions as required; and

c) 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.