Issue - meetings

Report CS16021

Approval was sought to extend the Family Nurse Partnership contract for one year to 31st March 2017. Bromley Healthcare (BHC) was currently contracted to provide the service through a a joint contract with L B Bexley. An extension would align the contract with L B Bexley procurement intentions.

In discussion Members asked a number of questions about the service including questions related to outcomes. The Leader highlighted the importance of being clear on outcomes expected from the service and for the service to rationalise and provide “more for less”. The recommendation in Report CS16021 was agreed on this basis.  

RESOLVED that the contract for Family Nurse Partnership be extended to 31st March 2017 in line with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules (CPR).

Report CS16021

The Portfolio Holder presented a report outlining a gateway review undertaken of the Family Nurse Partnership which was currently delivered through a joint block contract with the London Borough of Bexley which would end on 31^st March 2016, and seeking approval to extend the existing contract for a period of one year from 1^st April 2016 to 31^st March 2017 to align it with the London Borough of Bexley’s procurement intentions.

The London Boroughs of Bromley and Bexley jointly commissioned a Family Nurse Partnership service in April 2014 on a two year contract which would allow two further one year extensions.  A team of four family nurses and a full-time coordinator provided intensive support to up to 50 vulnerable young mothers in each of Bromley and Bexley which had demonstrated a number of beneficial outcomes, including in the performance of Public Health Outcome Indicators on the rate of under 18 years conceptions with the proportion of teenage mothers in Bromley significantly lower than the England average. 

It was proposed to extend the existing contract for a period of one year from 1^st April 2016 to 31^st March 2017 to align it with the London Borough of Bexley’s procurement intentions and allow time for work to be undertaken to identify procurement options for future provision of the service.

RESOLVED that the Council’s Executive be recommended to extend the contract for Family Nurse Partnership for a period of one year from 1^st April 2016 to 31^st March 2017 in line with the Local Authority’s Contract Procedure Rules.