Purpose

Accommodation for new supported living schemes
is currently being built at two sites: Hygge Park in Keynsham and
Sulis Down in Bath. Both will house 5 individuals with support
needs in individual flats, have some communal space, and office/
living space for a support member of staff 24/7. The schemes will
be open to individuals with a learning disability and/or autism
with Care Act eligible care and support needs.

The Specialist Commissioning Team is responsible for commissioning
a support provider to provide core support for all the individuals
who will make these flats their homes. We propose to complete a
competitive tender to appoint one core provider across both
schemes. This approach offers the market a viable contract and an
opportunity to grow their business and position within
B&NES.

Decision

To agree that:
 
(1) 
The proposed commissioning of specialist care and support across
two supported living schemes for adults with a learning disability
and/or autism aged 18-64 can go ahead.
 
(2) 
Any annual decision-making regarding funding arrangements for this
commission will be delegated to the Director of Adult Social
Care.

Reasons for the decision

There is significant demand for this type of
provision for this cohort, and this is expected to rise by 8.7% by
2030 (PANSI data).
 
Expected benefits for people:
 
· 
Homes with own front doors and the associated scope for learning
greater independent living skills.
· 
Home built to a high quality in the local area.
· 
Improved outcomes and experience.
· 
Involvement of people with lived experience to co-design their
services.
 
Expected benefits for providers:
 
· 
This tender will set a clear foundation and marker for our supply
market on our future commissioning intentions for working age
adults, and our approach to market development and shaping.
· 
This opportunity is likely to be very attractive as a bidding
opportunity across both schemes and would offer good foundation to
in-reach into B&NES for potential new providers.
 
Expected benefits for the Council and
Integrated Care Board (ICB):
 
· 
This aligns with our strategic direction to move away from spot
purchased care and develop more robust commissioning arrangements
and a sustainable market of care within B&NES.
· 
Efficiency gains by undertaking one procurement exercise.
· 
Supports potential to grow the provider market by encouraging new
providers to the area with an attractive contract value.
· 
Good supplier relationship management – we want to ensure
proactive market engagement and management to ensure quality of
care and support for people in B&NES.
 
 

Alternative options considered

Do nothing
 
We have rejected this option as to do nothing
would mean reputational risk for the Council of having access to
homes for people without enabling the right support for people to
safely live in them.  It would do
nothing to address the demand for supported living in the B&NES
area and would not support an improvement in our relationship with
the provider market or its sustainability.  It also would continue to impact on unmet need of
residents who have Care Act eligible needs and place the council in
a position whereby we do not have sufficient provision locally for
these residents.
 
Procure core support
providers separately for each scheme
 
We considered running two separate tenders,
but this was discounted on account of:
 
· 
These schemes are due for completion in similar timeframes.
· 
Increased resource requirement for commissioners and procurement to
run two overlapping tender processes.
· 
Would not allow time for co-production with people with lived
experience.
· 
Letting two care and support contracts for two schemes also may
impact the market capacity and resources to respond and result in
two smaller value contracts which may not be as viable for the
provider market.
· 
Shorter lead in period for social care colleagues to complete all
Care Act requirements such as LPOA/court deputyship if individual
lack capacity to sign a tenancy agreement.
 
Undertaking one tender offers efficiency in
terms of managing the tender process and undertaking the evaluation
and enables people with lived experience to input into the process
for both schemes more meaningfully.  It
also ensures that we would have one provider to contract manage
going forward for both schemes, offers the market a viable
contract, and an opportunity for providers to grow their business
and position into or within B&NES.