Issue - meetings

24/00003 - Care and Support in the Home Contract Extension

 

 

Meeting: 18/01/2024 - Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee (Item 178)

178 24/00003 - Care and Support in the Home Contract Extension pdf icon PDF 159 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

  1. Mr Mitchell introduced the item. He noted the current contract was due to expire in the next few months and that extensions were built into the contract for up to three years. It was noted that work was ongoing to review the cost of care, the future contract models and how the work could be done jointly across the system. Project governance was in place to ensure that this work was completed within the three-year extension period. 

 

  1. In response to comments and questions, it was said. 

 

  1. A Member asked what the yearly costs of the extensions were compared with the initial contract cost. Richard Ellis said that the contract value would remain similar to the previous year’s contract value, subject to the impact of any yet-to-be-agreed uplifts with providers, and lower than the initial contract value. 

 

  1. A Member asked why the ongoing work did not include an option to look at providing the service in-house or whether some of the Kent Enablement at Home service could be covered by this contract. Richard Ellis said the work of Kent Enablement at Home was very different to the contract being discussed. 

 

  1. Members questioned the length of the contract extension and why it was not in line with the other contract extensions which were for a period of two years. Richard Ellis said the extensions were needed to undertake the significant recommissioning exercise and it was not their intention to use the whole three years. 

 

  1. Members expressed concerns that they were given no alternatives to consider other than to grant the contract extensions as requested.

 

  1. Mr Streatfeild moved and Mr Brady seconded a motion that “the committee recommends to the Cabinet Member that the Care and Support in the Home contract be extended for no longer than one year to allow time for alternatives to be presented to the committee for consideration in a timely manner”. 

 

  1. Members voted on the motion. The motion failed. 

 

  1. Mr Watkins and Mr Smith said that changes to commissioning arrangements would mean that going forward the committee would be presented with contract extensions in good time and with alternative options. 

 

  1. RESOLVED that the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee endorsed the Care and Support in the Home Contract Extension. 

 

  1. In accordance with paragraph 16.31 of the Constitution, Mr Brady, Ms Meade, Mr Campkin, Ms Hawkins and Mr Streatfeild wished for it to be recorded in the minutes that they voted to abstain on the endorsement of the proposed decision.