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)
|
|
Public Health |
Adult Social Care |
|
Initial 3-Year Contract Term |
£6,757,945.50 |
£9,232,609.50 |
|
2 Year Optional Extension Period |
£4,505,297.00 |
£6,155,073.00 |
|
Total (Initial 3-Year Contract Term + 2 Year Optional Extension Period) |
£11,263,242.50 |
£15,387,682.50 |
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)
|
Kent & Medway ICB (formerly Kent & Medway CCG) |
|
|
Initial 3-Year Contract Term |
£4,466,511.00 |
|
2 Year Optional Extension Period |
£2,977,674.00 |
|
Total (Initial 3-Year Contract Term + 2 Optional Extension Period) |
£7,444,185.00 |
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.
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: 30/08/2022
Anticipated restriction: Part exempt - View reasons
Decision due: Not before 28th Sep 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 or 03000 422055 Email: sharon.dene@kent.gov.uk.
Consultees
The proposed decision will be discussed at the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee on 28 September 2022.
Financial implications: As above.
Legal implications: Section 2 of the Care Act 2014 places a general duty on local authorities to provide, arrange or otherwise identify services, facilities, and resources to prevent, delay or reduce the needs of adults for care and support. The Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Service contributes significantly to: • Prevention • Integrated partnership working and • The provision of good quality services and goods A Section 256/Memorandum of Agreement will be entered in to by all parties to provide a framework within which to work with health partners and other local authorities and includes financial protections for the Council. Given the joint nature of the contract in place, adult social care and health operations would support the merits of this request. TUPE regulations will apply. The Council needs to be conscious to mitigate the disruptive effect that this may have on those currently accessing the service.
Equalities implications: Equalities implications: An Equality Impact Assessment has been completed for the commissioning of the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Contract. An initial assessment was undertaken prior to the public consultation and market engagement and no major issues were identified. Since then, the Equality Impact Assessment has been reviewed and no further issues identified. Data Protection implications: It will be necessary for the successful Strategic Partners to complete a Data Protection Impact Assessment as they will be controlling confidential data