Issue - items at meetings - KD 3824 Award of Contract for Extracare Service at Skinners Court

Issue - meetings

KD 3824 Award of Contract for Extracare Service at Skinners Court

Meeting: 22/10/2014 - Cabinet (Item 14)

14 Award of Contract for Care and Support Service at Skinners Court pdf icon PDF 162 KB

A report from the Director of Health, Housing and Adult Social Care is attached. This seeks approval to the award of the contract. (Report No.95, agenda part two also refers) (Key decision – reference number 3824)

(Report No.88)

(9.05 – 9.10pm)

Minutes:

Councillor Ahmet Oykener (Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Regeneration) left the meeting for this item, Minute No. 2 above refers.

 

Councillor Don McGowan (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care) introduced the report of the Director of Health, Housing and Adult Social Care (No.88) recommending the award of the contract for care and support at Skinners Court.

 

NOTED

 

1.               That Report No. 95, also referred as detailed in Minute No.26 below.

 

2.               That Skinners Court was an extra care independent living scheme providing social care and housing related support services to vulnerable older people. The current contract was in its last year. The reports set out the outcome of the procurement process for Members’ consideration.

 

Alternative Options Considered: A number of options were considered, informed by national guidance for Extra Care and a review of Metropolitan’s contract:

a.     Continuance of current service model: This was not considered consistent with Best Value requirements. Developments in extra care had identified more financially efficient ways of commissioning these services.

b.     Convert all service packages to spot purchasing and direct payments: This was not popular with the service user community at the scheme and did not provide enough stability or flexibility of car delivery that was established by a core onsite provider. Research evidence also suggested that moving to 100% direct payments risks undermining the sense of community and security that was inherent to extra care.

c.     Replicate service model form other extra care schemes in Enfield: This option was incompatible with the variety of direct payment arrangements already in place at Skinners Court in addition to the main block contractor.

 

DECISION: The Cabinet agreed to note the contents of the report and to approve the recommendations for the award of contract as detailed in Report No.95, Minute No.26 below refers.  

 

Reason: The “Core and Flexi” service model offers the best opportunity to improve service quality, realise financial efficiencies and facilitate service user control over how their outcomes were delivered and by whom. Existing direct payment arrangements were normalised. The new contract included the potential for greater uptake of direct payments in future and for the block contract amount to decrease accordingly. Commissioning recommendations in this regard would be informed by a review of the new contract model in practice. Services across different agencies would be better co-ordinated, improving the service user experience. People with complex needs were supported to live independently for longer, preventing or delaying referral to more expensive residential or nursing care.

(Key decision – reference number 3824)