Issue - meetings

Report CS18009/1

The Committee considered a report providing an update on the tendering process for the Intermediate Care Service.

The Intermediate Care Service supported Bromley residents by facilitating hospital discharge and enabling better and speedier recovery following a period of hospitalisation through health-based therapy services and social care personal care services, both within service users’ homes and in nursing home beds which assisted them in maintaining their independence.  The service aimed to reduce readmission rates and prevent unnecessary hospital admission.  At its meeting on 14^th September 2016, the Council’s Executive agreed to jointly tender the Intermediate Care Service with the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group as part of its community contract tender under Lot 3: Integrated Rapid Response and Transfer of Care Services, which incorporated a range of hospital discharge services and could be supported by other pathways including rehabilitation and medical response services, and that Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group act as the lead commissioner.

The tendering process for the Intermediate Care Service had been undertaken in accordance with the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group’s financial and contractual processes which were compliant with legislation.  Providers were asked how they would construct the service to maximise resources, ensure efficiencies and deliver a seamless offer to residents.  Following the evaluation process for the tender, the recommended provider was identified as demonstrating a good level of quality and an integrated approach to working across the various hospital discharge pathways and with the Local Authority’s Care Management teams, and also showed a commitment to working with service users to enable them to regain and retain as much independence as possible.  The Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group had extended the contract award date by two months to 1^st December 2017 to ensure adequate time for tendering and for the process of informing and consulting staff and trade unions about the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) if applicable.

In response to a question from a Member, the Programme Manager, Commissioning advised that the Local Authority was developing a Memorandum of Understanding with Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group that would specify the client-side processes within the community contract, and that the Local Authority would work closely with the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group in monitoring performance. 

RESOLVED that the Council’s Executive be recommended to:

1)  Note the Part 1 (Public) summary when considering the recommendations in the Part 2 (Exempt) report to award the tender; and,

2)  Note that formal consultation with staff, trade unions and departmental representatives commenced on 15^th May 2017 and ended on 13^th June 2017 regarding the proposals for the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group to award a contract for community provision including the Intermediate Care Service, and that meetings had taken place with staff affected by these proposals, without prejudice to any subsequent TUPE staff/trade unions’ consultation in the event of the contract being awarded.