Agenda item

To seek approval to undertake procurement exercises to put in place contractual arrangements for a range of adult social care services.

Cabinet received a report which sought approval to undertake procurement exercises for the award of various contracts for Adult Social Care Services.

The Authority currently commissioned a range of adult social care services from the independent sector to meet the needs of individuals deemed to be eligible in accordance with the Care Act 2014 following a Care Act assessment.

The Authority did not deliver these services internally and needed to have robust and proper arrangements in place for services to be procured and available.  There were arrangements in place at present for these services and these were coming to an end. There was, therefore, a need to put new arrangements in place and the report set out proposals and recommendations for new contracts to be put in place.  This was to ensure there was sufficiency and continuity of supply to ensure the needs of eligible individuals and the wider population can be met.

The report covered the following services / service areas:

•           Extra care for older people; and

•           Day services for all client groups (older people, learning disability, mental health and physical disability).

New contracts would put in place a range of services and providers to support individuals and ensure there was sustainability of supply and provision over the period the contract was in place.  The contracts would also need to ensure value for money was achieved and also that client outcomes were deliverable and a key focus of the service.

All contracts would be in line with the strategic objectives and the commercial context in which the services operated as set out in the Cabinet report on 29 June 2020.  For Adult Social Care, these stemmed from the Our North Tyneside Plan which set the Authority’s priorities for supporting vulnerable people to be healthy and well and also that they were cared for, protected and supported.  The services supported people to be and remain independent and that good quality affordable housing was integral to the extra care offer.

Details of current provision of Extra Care and Day Services in North Tyneside were set out in the report.

Cabinet considered the following decision options: to accept the recommendations as set out in paragraph 1.2 of the report, or alternatively, to not approve the recommendations.

Resolved that the Head of Health, Education, Care and Safeguarding, in consultation with the Head of Law and Governance and the Head of Resources, be authorised to:

(1)       undertake a procurement exercise to put in place a framework agreement of providers who are able to deliver Extra Care and Day Services, as outlined in sections 1.5.2 and 1.5.3 respectively of the report; and

(2)       following those procurement exercises, proceed with the award of contracts to the preferred bidders.

(Reasons for decision: Current contracts and contracting arrangements are due to expire or have expired and are subject to annual carry forward and could be leaving the Authority subject to financial risk. New arrangements will need to be in place to ensure continuity of service for individuals accessing those services;

to ensure compliance with procurement regulations, undertake competitive procurement exercises for the various services identified in the report; and

to ensure commissioning arrangements are current, effective and ensure value for money is in place with those contracts and framework agreements.)