Agenda item

Report ACH24-014

The Committee considered a report seeking Executive approval to award the Support@Home service contract in accordance with the arrangements set out in the report and the accompanying Part 2 report to commence the new service on 1^st October 2024.

Mental Health recovery and rehabilitation accommodation-based support and floating support services aimed to support mental health service users away from reliance on hospital and residential provision towards enabling and cost-effective services such as supported accommodation, support in the community and targeted support towards independent living. The LBB Mental Health Flexible Support Service contract would expire on 30^th September 2024. The current contract had been in place since 1^st October 2019 and had no further options to extend.

The South East London Integrated Care Board (SELICB) Adult Mental Health Residential and Supported Accommodation Services contract would expire on 30^th September 2024. The current contract had been in place since 1^st April 2019 and had an estimated value of £1,432k per annum. The contract had no further extension options remaining and had a cumulative value of approximately £6,963k over the 5-year term. In addition to the block contracted services, LBB held individual placement contracts for clients placed into SELICB contracted provision. In 2021/22 the combined annual value of these placements was estimated to be approximately £1.12m per annum. In total these two services had an estimated combined value more than £2.94m per annum.

The Gateway 0 report ACH22-018, presented to Executive on 29^th June 2022, advised Members on the procurement options for future housing support mental health services in Bromley and gained approval to replace the existing service model with a new joint adult mental health recovery and rehabilitation Support@Home service contract in 2024, underpinned by the section 75 agreement between LBB and SELICB, and with a combined total contract value estimated at £2.66m per annum, split 50:50 between LBB and SELICB. The Gateway 1 report ACH22-035, presented on 30^th November 2022, sought and obtained Executive approval to commence the procurement of the service in accordance with the arrangements set out in the report with the intent to commence the new service on 1^st October 2024 with LBB acting as the contracting authority.

In response to questions, the Associate Director of Integrated Commissioning – NHS South East London ICB (Bromley) said that, with regards to residents being able to take up tenancies, these would be in place for as long as required. Residents would have more rights with a tenancy than they did in a residential care home, and they would be assessed to determine when they were able to move on. The model being developed was for service users and providers to deliver floating support – this would provide an opportunity for people to move on to their own homes and receive ongoing support. This would allow for better planning when service users moved out and it was not expected to cause any bottlenecks.

A Member noted that, in terms of service delivery, they would be keen to see the voluntary sector involved in providing support. The Associate Director of Integrated Commissioning – NHS South East London ICB (Bromley) advised that this linked with a piece of work being undertaken in relation to the Bromley mental health hub.

RESOLVED that the Executive be recommended to:

i.)  Approve award of contract for the Support@Home service contract as detailed in this report and the accompanying Part 2 report:

·  for an initial period of 5 years from 1^st October 2024 to 30^th September 2029

·  with two options to extend for a further period of 2 years from 1^st October 2029 to 30^th September 2031 and 1^st October 2031 to 30^th September 2033

·  at an estimated total contract value as set out in Part 2 of this report; and,

ii.)  Delegate authority to the Chief Officer, subject to Agreement with the Assistant Director Governance & Contracts, the Director of Corporate Services, the Director of Finance and the Portfolio Holder for Adult, Care & Health, to approve the contract extension period(s) for up to four years on satisfactory achievement of the contract performance indicators.