Decision details

To agree that:

(1)  The proposed commissioning of specialist care and support across two supported living schemes for adults with a learning disability and/or autism aged 18-64 can go ahead.

(2)  Any annual decision-making regarding funding arrangements for this commission will be delegated to the Director of Adult Social Care.

There is significant demand for this type of provision for this cohort, and this is expected to rise by 8.7% by 2030 (PANSI data).

Expected benefits for people:

·  Homes with own front doors and the associated scope for learning greater independent living skills.

·  Home built to a high quality in the local area.

·  Improved outcomes and experience.

·  Involvement of people with lived experience to co-design their services.

Expected benefits for providers:

·  This tender will set a clear foundation and marker for our supply market on our future commissioning intentions for working age adults, and our approach to market development and shaping.

·  This opportunity is likely to be very attractive as a bidding opportunity across both schemes and would offer good foundation to in-reach into B&NES for potential new providers.

Expected benefits for the Council and Integrated Care Board (ICB):

·  This aligns with our strategic direction to move away from spot purchased care and develop more robust commissioning arrangements and a sustainable market of care within B&NES.

·  Efficiency gains by undertaking one procurement exercise.

·  Supports potential to grow the provider market by encouraging new providers to the area with an attractive contract value.

·  Good supplier relationship management – we want to ensure proactive market engagement and management to ensure quality of care and support for people in B&NES.

Do nothing

We have rejected this option as to do nothing would mean reputational risk for the Council of having access to homes for people without enabling the right support for people to safely live in them.  It would do nothing to address the demand for supported living in the B&NES area and would not support an improvement in our relationship with the provider market or its sustainability.  It also would continue to impact on unmet need of residents who have Care Act eligible needs and place the council in a position whereby we do not have sufficient provision locally for these residents.

Procure core support providers separately for each scheme

We considered running two separate tenders, but this was discounted on account of:

·  These schemes are due for completion in similar timeframes.

·  Increased resource requirement for commissioners and procurement to run two overlapping tender processes.

·  Would not allow time for co-production with people with lived experience.

·  Letting two care and support contracts for two schemes also may impact the market capacity and resources to respond and result in two smaller value contracts which may not be as viable for the provider market.

·  Shorter lead in period for social care colleagues to complete all Care Act requirements such as LPOA/court deputyship if individual lack capacity to sign a tenancy agreement.

Undertaking one tender offers efficiency in terms of managing the tender process and undertaking the evaluation and enables people with lived experience to input into the process for both schemes more meaningfully.  It also ensures that we would have one provider to contract manage going forward for both schemes, offers the market a viable contract, and an opportunity for providers to grow their business and position into or within B&NES.