Agenda item

Report ECHS19052

The Committee considered a report recommending that the timescale for procurement related to Learning Disability supported living accommodation be adjusted in order to reflect the direction of travel recommended by the Transformation Board and the Learning Disability Strategy.

The Council currently had 7 block contracts for supported living services for adults with a learning disability (LD). These contracts were held with 5 providers offering care and support provision at 26 accommodation schemes for 125 service users.  Two developments taking place in 2019 suggested the need for a revised procurement plan for LD supported accommodation.  Firstly, the Council’s Transformation Board launched a programme of activity designed to review the Council’s offer as well as explore options for greater effectiveness and efficiency. This included a work stream on services for people with learning disability in order to ensure the Council had a sustainable direction of travel for the provision of care and support including supported accommodation schemes.  Secondly, the Council and the CCG would be developing a Learning Disability Strategy during 2019, intended for approval in October 2019 following extensive consultation with service users, carers, families and stakeholders. The development of the strategy would include:

(i) A review of existing supported accommodation and exploration of Bromley’s future needs; (ii) A review of the model of care and support provided within the supported accommodation offer; (iii) Exploration of other types of support including the provision of extra care housing and support to people living in the community outside of specialist forms of accommodation. 

The proposal required a review of decisions made by the Executive in October 2018.  Two of the Council’s supported living contracts – Sanctuary Home Care Ltd (regarding Johnson Court) and Avenues (regarding a range of schemes at 213 Widmore Road, Swingfield Court, Lancaster House, Goldsmiths Close and Amplio Road) were the subject of Executive discussion in October 2018. These contracts were due to expire in January 2020. Executive agreed to proceed with tendering for these two services. It was imperative that the Council was able to redesign the specification for these services in line with the recommendations and direction of travel of the Adult Social Care Transformation Board and LD Strategy. Due to this, Executive was being recommended to approve rescheduling procurement for the two contracts and award two short contracts to the existing providers.  This would provide an opportunity to align most of Bromley’s supported living contracts  to end during 2021 ensuring that the commissioning and procurement of these contracts would be in line with the direction of travel established in 2019.

The Committee noted the Part 2 report accompanying this item which contained the exempt from publication financial information.

In response to a question, the Senior Commissioner confirmed that it was not anticipated that any further savings would be delivered from retendering the contract.

Members noted that Officers were proposing that groups of schemes or individual services were registered with the CQC as this would provide an enhanced degree of oversight of performance.

The Senior Commissioner confirmed that the option of a 5+3 contract was being considered in order to provide stability for service users.

RESOLVED: That the Executive be recommended to:

1. Agree not to proceed to procurement for the above contracts to allow them to be included in a wider commissioning exercise for Supported Living contracts;

2. Grant an exemption from procurement and award a new contract with Sanctuary Care (#218) for 15 months from 14th January 2020 to 24 April 2021; and

3. Grant an exemption from procurement and award a new contract with Avenues (#221) for 15 months from 12th January 2020 to 24 April 2021.