Agenda item

Procurement Options for Living Well Sefton

Report of the Head of Health and Wellbeing

Minutes:

 

The Cabinet considered the report of the Head of Health and Wellbeing that  sought approval to complete a tender exercise to re-procure the Community Programme of the Living Well Sefton Service (LWS) which was due to expire on the 31st March 2019. The procurement exercise would be an enhancement of the current service and would include;

 

·       An LWS service enhancement to incorporate delivery of the Health Check programme in line with its revised budget reduction

 

·       A formal alignment of Early Intervention and Prevention Level 3 (EIP3) outcomes linked to current models of delivery 

 

·       An enhancement of the current LWS delivery model to extend the provision and emphasis of financial advice and support, in line with increased demands of local people, for welfare advice and signposting due to public sector reform.

 

·       A revised re- procurement would involve one single community contract. This would complement the current Stop Smoking contract (expires 31st March 2019 with option for 3 x 1 year extensions) and the existing internal Active Sefton SLA.

 

A procurement exercise based on a lead provider would ensure effective coordination, robust performance management, appropriate sub-contracting and governance arrangements to support this revised and enhanced model.

 

Decision Made: That the Cabinet:

 

(1)            authorise the Director of Public Health to conduct an OJEU Light Touch Regime tender exercise for the LWS to run for a period of three years from 1st April 2019 with the option of two further one-year extensions;

 

(2)            note that the exercise included an ability to build into the procurement, a scoring criteria for the successful lead provider to clearly demonstrate how community providers would deliver the model using the voluntary, community and faith sector (VCF). Procurement Services would support Public Health to develop the scoring criteria to ensure this is done effectively and appropriately, and will be based on MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) taking into consideration a balance between quality and cost. Once the scoring criteria have been developed, formal approval of weighting will be sought from Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing;

 

(3)            note, a comprehensive early intervention and prevention service (LWS) remains in Sefton and incorporates the Health Check programme;        

 

(4)            agree that the current contracting position will change, where multiple contracts will be replaced with one single prime community contract, which will sub-contract health and well-being services from the VCF; and

 

(5)            approve the basis of evaluation of the tenders as set out in this report; and the Director of Public Health, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, be granted delegated powers to award the new contract to the highest scoring bidder(s) in accordance with the approved basis of evaluation and to report on the outcome to the Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing.

 

 

Reasons for the Decisions:

 

The LWS is enhancing its operating model to enable services to work collectively to ensure that local residents get all of the information and support they need to improve their health and make lasting behaviour change.  Continued investment in the programme beyond the original contract period of April 2019, will ensure the key outcomes of EIP3, which includes developing community resilience and reducing dependency on services, are optimised.

 

This community approach will be able to influence early intervention, referral triage when appropriate, increased low–level and self-support, inclusion, connection, cross- partner and individual ownership, choice and control.  This will be enhanced by the incorporation of Health Checks into the LWS.  (It is worth noting, for completeness, that the Health Check Programme has already been absorbed into the LWS (8th January 2018), Health and Wellbeing Cabinet Member Meeting, Agenda Item 11 - Living Well Sefton).

 

In line with EIP3 outcomes, the LWS will continue to develop a robust social prescribing programme; increase capacity building through Making Every Contact Count (MECC), and roll out a fully developed behaviour change programme available to all partners.  In addition, the LWS will support the development of innovation and local entrepreneurial opportunities through the community grants scheme, and extend the model across health, social care and housing.

 

The LWS will build on the emerging community need for information and financial advice via welfare support mentors.  As the impact of welfare reform and Universal Credit is realised, the LWS is well positioned in community settings to offer advice and support to people affected.  Mentors will be trained to offer additional financial support across wider LWS providers with a dedicated CAB trained advisor to support the wider LWS providers.

 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

 

Theimplications ofdeciding notto procurereplacement serviceswould be;

 

·       Contracts for Sefton’s LWS willexpire resultingin alack ofservice provision forlocal residents.  If permissionis notgranted, therewill be no commissioned provision to support the EIP programme, particularly EIP3 where outcomes have been aligned to the LWS.  In addition, delivery of the mandated Health Checks programme will be compromised as this has been included in the new LWS model.

 

·       The LWS is the key delivery arm of EIP3 outcomes and is designed to reduce dependency on services by building community resilience.  A longer term approach to building resilience will be also compromised and may have negative consequences with the emerging needs of vulnerable people following welfare reform.

 

·       The current commission is comprised of separate contracts with a variety of providers.  This could be more economically efficient, and does not play to the strengths of individual providers.  The proposed new commission has significant potential to reduce management costs, identify service excellence via a single provider sub-contracting with VCF organisations and purchasing specialist services.

 

·       An increase in residents with multiple unhealthy lifestyle behaviours such as smoking, over weight and obesity and low mental wellbeing.

 

·       A potential increase in expenditure for adult social care services if prevention services do not exist.

 

 

 

Supporting documents: