Issue - meetings

This Cabinet report seeks approval to award a framework agreement to the recommended tenderers for the provision of Community Opportunities for Older People and People Living with Dementia to commence on 1 December 2015. The report provides details of the procurement process, including the results of the evaluation, and, in conjunction with the Part 2 report demonstrates why the recommended award delivers value for money and meets the needs of individuals in Surrey.

In line with the general principles of the Care Act 2014 Surrey County Council must promote wellbeing of individuals, empowering people to remain active in their local communities with support to access services and activities that help them sustain their independence. The Friends Family and Community agenda supports this. Key to this is the provision of appropriately commissioned services and access to information, advice and support to help individuals receive a timely diagnosis and community based support thereafter.

The model of delivery for these services has traditionally been via block contracting: however there is a need for more flexibility of choice and delivery both in meeting individual and carers needs as well as developing a more suitable market to provide this flexible range of services. This framework agreement will enable the start of the required shift in this new market and allow ongoing development to engage further providers.

Due to the commercial sensitivity involved in the agreement award process, the Value for Money details have been included as a Part 2 report – item 26.

[The decision on this item may be called in either by the Social Care Services Board or the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Board]

RESOLVED:

That a Framework Agreement for the provision of Community Opportunities for Older People and People Living with Dementia be awarded to the following providers for a period of three years with an option to extend for one year commencing from 1 December 2015.

Reasons for Decisions:

The recommended framework agreement providers will deliver older people’s community opportunity services, including those living with dementia, which will keep people active and involved in the local community and cared for in a safe environment. It also provides support for carers, giving them an opportunity to have time away from their caring duties.

The recommendation to replace the current block contracts and grants with a new framework will help deliver better quality services and more choice within the same budget and will also enable the transition to the new model of services. For many of these providers it is the beginning of a shift to working in more flexible ways. There will also be ongoing work with the market to develop a fuller range of flexible services.

The existing block arrangements expired on 30 September 2015. Contract extensions based on existing arrangements were put in place until 1 December 2015.  A full tender process, in compliance with the requirement of EU Procurement Legislation and Procurement Standing Orders has been completed, and the recommendations provide value for money for the Council following a thorough evaluation process.

[The decision on this item may be called in by either the Social Care Services Scrutiny Board or the Wellbeing & Health Scrutiny Board]

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care informed Members that this report was to award a contract and that this was a new way of looking at delivering these services as it was previously a block contract and would now be a framework.

He stated that the agenda would be tailor made to each individual and outcomes would be based around that individual. He informed Members that Locality Teams would have information to access services in their areas and that these are promoted via Surrey Information Point. He also referred Members to the Equality Impact Assessment that had been undertaken.

RESOLVED:

That a Framework Agreement for the provision of Community Opportunities for Older People and People Living with Dementia be awarded to the following providers for a period of three years with an option to extend for one year commencing from 1 December 2015.

Reasons for Decisions:

The recommended framework agreement providers will deliver older people’s community opportunity services, including those living with dementia, which will keep people active and involved in the local community and cared for in a safe environment. It also provides support for carers, giving them an opportunity to have time away from their caring duties.

The recommendation to replace the current block contracts and grants with a new framework will help deliver better quality services and more choice within the same budget and will also enable the transition to the new model of services. For many of these providers it is the beginning of a shift to working in more flexible ways. There will also be ongoing work with the market to develop a fuller range of flexible services.

The existing block arrangements expired on 30 September 2015. Contract extensions based on existing arrangements were put in place until 1 December 2015.  A full tender process, in compliance with the requirement of EU Procurement Legislation and Procurement Standing Orders has been completed, and the recommendations provide value for money for the Council following a thorough evaluation process.