Issue - items at meetings - Care Home Revised Framework Arrangements

Report of Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People (copy attached).

(1)       That the process for procuring & the awarding of the contract and the timescales outlined in this report be agreed.

(2)       That it is agreed that the Director of Adult Social Services has delegated authority to award contracts.

15.1    The Board considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People which proposed a generic care home contract.  Some existing care home contracts needed to be reviewed and current arrangements needed updating to reflect the changes in national policy as outlined in Putting People First and Caring for the Future, together with the new flexibilities around registration categories introduced by the Care Quality Commission. 

15.2    The Contracts Manager explained that the council currently had two separate contracts for older people and people under 65 and over 18.  The aim was to bring these contracts together and have a policy that spanned all age groups.  The terms and conditions remained the same as before but the specifications were more robust.  There were different clinical standards for nursing homes.

15.3    The Chair asked what sort of response had been received from the consultation.   The Contracts Manager replied that there had been two issues raised by providers.  The first issue related to concerns relating to the level of financial information required and health and safety issues.   The smaller providers felt that the level of financial information required was inappropriate.  This requirement had now been streamlined and a more proportionate system had been agreed for smaller providers.  The other concern related to quality.  Providers wanted assurance that good quality systems were in place.   

15.4    The Chief Operations Officer welcomed the clinical standards in the contract documentation.  She asked how officers measured compliance against those standards.  

15.5    The Contracts Manager explained that the Clinical Review Nurse would be responsible for reviewing care. 

15.6    Councillor Norman asked for clarification as to why the Joint Commissioning Board was being asked to agree the report rather than note it.  

15.7    The Chair explained that as the contract in question was a joint health and social care contract, it had been decided that there should be a joint decision.

15.8    RESOLVED (1) That the process for procuring & the awarding of the contract and the timescales outlined in this report be agreed.

(2)       That it is agreed that the Director of Adult Social Services has delegated authority to award contracts.

            (Note:  These recommendations were agreed by the Adult Care & Health Committee on 24 September 2012)

Report of Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People (copy attached).

(1)       That the process for procuring & the awarding of the contract and the timescales outlined in the report be agreed.

(2)       That it is agreed that the Director of Adult Social Services is given delegated authority to award contracts.

19.1    The Committee considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People which proposed a generic care home contract.  Some existing care home contracts needed to be reviewed and current arrangements needed updating to reflect the changes in national policy as outlined in Putting People First and Caring for the Future, together with the new flexibilities around registration categories introduced by the Care Quality Commission.  Both the current Terms and Conditions and Service Specifications were in need of revision.

19.2    The Contracts Manager explained that the council currently had two separate contracts for older people and people under 65 and over 18.  The aim was to bring these contracts together and have a policy that spanned all age groups. The consultation process was set out in paragraph 4.1.

19.3         Councillor Shanks referred to paragraph 3.9 in relation to one year contracts.  She asked if it was normal to have one year contracts.  The Contracts Manager explained that the contracts were initially one year and were renewed on a yearly basis.  

19.4    Councillor Mears considered one year to be too short a period for a contract when people were expected to make an investment.  She asked if this would lead to enough interested people.  The Director explained that there would be rolling contracts for safeguarding reasons.  If the council had concerns and the contractor was no longer providing a service to the approved standard, the contract would be terminated. 

19.5    Councillor Meadows asked how many beds spaces were available.  The Head of Performance and Contracting explained that there were around 120 homes that would be included in the contract.  

19.6    Councillor Pissaridou welcomed the one year rolling programme.  She asked how it would be monitored.  The Head of Performance and Contracts explained that the contracts would be monitored by the council’s contracts unit.  The council had a profile of every home and every home care provider which captured information about quality.  There would also be monitoring from the CQC, the council’s review teams and health and safety visits.   The LINk was also monitoring homes. 

19.7    Councillor Barnett asked whether spot checks were made on homes.  The Head of Performance and Contracts replied that the council’s visits were largely announced, but unannounced visits could be made if it was felt necessary.  However, the CQC always carried out unannounced visits. 

19.8    RESOLVED (1)        That the process for procuring & the awarding of the contract and the timescales outlined in the report be agreed.

(2)       That it is agreed that the Director of Adult Social Services is given delegated authority to award contracts.