Decision details

RESOLVED:

1.    That the commissioning and procurement strategy as set out in the paper is agreed.

2.    That the proposal to procure the proposed tender and service specification for Home Based Care services which will be issued in January 2021 be approved with the contracts being awarded in June 2021 with a start date of the 1^st of October 2021 to allow for a period of contract mobilisation.

3.    The continuation of joint arrangements to purchase services with the NHS in Surrey be approved.

4.    It was agreed that there should be limited service interruption to residents receiving a home based care service package. If a provider does not form part of the new contract arrangements from October 2021, they can continue to support any existing residents with home based care until the package ends or there is a suitable change point for the provision of care.

Reason for Decision:

The current contract is set to end in September 2021. It is necessary to release the tender opportunity to the care provider market in January 2021, in order to allow for a thorough review and evaluation of the responses received and for an appropriate mobilisation period of up to 3 months between June and September 2021. This provides an adequate timeframe to facilitate robust procurement and implementation.

Providers will be bidding to join the new Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS).

Cabinet approval is being sought alongside approval from Surrey Heartlands Clinical Commissioning Group (who hosts Continuing Healthcare on behalf of the three Surrey CCGs) to continue the joint arrangements for the operation of the approved provider DPS with the NHS.

The existing procurement and framework have proved successful and the options appraisal for the re-commissioning of the service in 2021 indicates that this remains the preferred approach. The re-commissioning will see changes to the contracting terms and business rules driving further improvement and enhancement to the current arrangement.

It is envisaged that there will be no interruption of services for residents receiving home based care provision at the point where new contracting arrangements commence. There will be no requirement for a provider to cease providing support to existing residents if they are not continuing to provide further support under the new contracting arrangements.

[The decisions on this item can be called in by the Adults and Health Select Committee]