Issue details

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.