Agenda item

Report of the Head of Commissioning Support and Business Intelligence.

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Commissioning Support and Business Intelligence seeking approval to commence a procurement exercise for the provision of Domiciliary Care services. The report included details of the proposed procurement approach under Liverpool City Region (LCR) / Tripartite (Sefton/Knowsley/Liverpool) joint working arrangements; the development of a new outcome based service model; and consultation and engagement activities.

The report set out the background to the matter, together with details of LCR and public sector reform working; the new model of service; the future procurement of domiciliary care services; and consultation and engagement.

The report indicated that the Council, at its meeting on 3 November 2016, had extended existing Domiciliary Care contracts for an additional twelve month period from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018. Work was underway with Knowsley MBC and Liverpool CC to explore the sharing of services and to standardise Service delivery and contractual arrangements, the aim being to move away from commissioning of services on a prescriptive basis and to be more outcome focused. Sefton Council had commissioned an external organisation, RedQuadrant, to conduct a market oversight exercise of the Domiciliary Care sector, to include an assessment of the rates required to support the sector, particularly given the aims of the Ethical Care Charter and the National Living Wage. Consultation and engagement was underway with Providers and would be extended to service users and their families in due course.

Tina Wilkins, Head of Adult Social Care, was in attendance to present the report and to respond to questions put by Members of the Committee.

Members of the Committee raised the following issues and a summary of the responses provided is outlined below:-

·         What were the reasons why a partnership approach would solve existing problems?

In the future it was intended that there would be more of a standard specification and more similar pricing, as each area currently had different rates for care provision. Removing barriers across the local authorities concerned would provide bigger patches with better capacity, as sufficient coverage of staff was not always possible at the moment.

·         Regarding continuity of care, how would the proposals contribute towards recruitment and retention of staff?

The proposed model would increase capacity and provide better hourly rates and terms and conditions for staff by increasing power and control for Providers.

·         Concerns were held were staff were more transient as this generally contributed towards a decline in service.

The specification for the service would be the same, or more standardised across the geographical area. There was a need to ensure good training opportunities for staff and care services could provide staff with hours that suited them. Providers had to negotiate call times as lots of service users wanted calls at much the same times and the proposed model would provide for greater flexibility. Work was currently underway with Providers to identify a good price for care.

·         In the past there had been issues with 15 minute calls, as this was insufficient to provide proper care, together with staff not being paid for travel time.

An assumed travel element was now incorporated into call times. As a rule 15 minute calls were not now used. Currently a 15 minute call time would probably only be used for a medical call, or as an add-on to make a 45 minute call.

·         What quality assurance was in place to ensure staff turned up for calls?

Eventually information technology would enable Providers to move to a log in / log out system for staff and it would be possible to clearly ensure that staff were on call.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.