Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Executive Director of People

The Board considered a briefing note of the Executive Director of People which outlined the role that home support played in the delivery of effective social care and provided an overview of the service changes expected as a result of the forthcoming tender agreed by Cabinet at their meeting on 1^st November, 2016.

The briefing note indicated that adult social care provided personal and practical support that helped people live their lives. It was an area where it was possible to have a hugely positive impact on individuals, their family and carers. The City Council supported approximately 950 people each week through home support, with approximately 12,000 hours of support at an approximate cost of £8.4m for 2016/17. Approximately 100 hours a week of this supported children with disabilities living at home at a cost of £0.1m.

The Board were informed that the majority of adults in receipt of long term support were aged over 75 with almost 40% aged 85 or over. The current arrangements for the provision of home support in Coventry was based on a contract let in 2010 through a city-wide contractual framework, with 40 organisations on this framework. Organisations who evidenced the best quality and the best price were given the opportunity for any new work. Since 2010 a number of factors had influenced the operation of home support including the impact of austerity in local government; increased costs of delivery; increasing levels of complexity of people referred for support; and challenges in offering contracts of employment that were attractive to staff.

At their meeting on 1^st November, 2016 Cabinet approved the re-tendering of home support. The process was scheduled to commence in December 2016 with new providers and contracts commencing during June 2017. The Board were informed that the retender would seek to achieve a more sustainable and secure provider base through offering larger contracts of 1200 – 1500 hours per week for five years, with the option of extending by a further two years. This would support provider sustainability allowing for margin reductions to be compensated for by increased volume of business and enable providers to employ more staff on contracted hours, improving retention. These larger and longer contracts would also give the greater security required for providers to invest in delivering good quality services, for example investing in staff completing the Care Certificate.

The Board noted that currently 23 organisations were contracted, post tender this would reduce to 9. They also noted that a number of people would be supported by a different provider. In terms of wider improvements expected as a result of the tender, the service specification had been updated to reflect the wellbeing and prevention elements of the Care Act 2014.

The Board questioned the officers present on a number of issues and responses were provided, matters raised included:

·  How confident were officers that it would be possible to secure the services of 9 companies who could deliver the necessary quality support to approximately 950 individuals

·  Further information about the Care certificate which had five levels ranging from induction through to advanced level 5 diploma and would this be voluntary

·   Whether there were minimum training requirements for employees

·  Clarification about the monitoring of companies, particularly in light of Healthwatch being unable to go into individual homes

·  A request that consideration be given as to how Healthwatch could be involved in the monitoring process to provide assurances about the quality of services being delivered

·  The implications of having more self-funders in the future

·   Had the option of the Council establishing arms-length companies to deliver care being explored.

RESOLVED that:

(1) The role that home support plays and the overview of the service changes expected from the re-tendering of home support be noted.

(2) The issue of how local care organisations can work with Coventry Healthwatch to provide assurances for the City Council and the health partner organisations that they can deliver quality services be considered and this engagement with Healthwatch be included in the commissioning process.