Purpose

To approve Rochdale Borough Council becoming
the host local authority for the GM Provider Framework.

Content

The Cabinet considered
a report of the Director of Integrated Care and Health (Director of
Adult Social Services (DASS) and Deputy Place Lead), which sought
approval of the Award for the Greater Manchester Provider Flexible
purchasing System – Supporting People to Live Well at
Home.
 
The
Senior Officer was in attendance to
present the information and to address the questions and the
comments of the Cabinet Members.
 
Resolved:
1.   
That the content of the report and actions taken so far be
noted;

That the providers
outlined at Appendix 1 to the report on to the Supporting people
to live well at home Flexible Purchasing System for Greater
Manchester initial round 1, and other subsequent rounds of
tendering and awarding providers onto the Flexible Purchasing
System be approved;
That the Director of
Health & Care Integration (DASS & Deputy Place Lead)
be given delegated authority to make any
further decisions relating to implementation of the FPS in
consultation with Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Wellbeing.

 
Reason for
decision:
The use the Greater
Manchester Flexible Purchasing System was the preferred option as
it provided Rochdale BC with the opportunity to support our
residents with complex needs to live fulfilling lives, maximise
their independence and achieve their ambitions. The integrated
Flexible purchasing System would enable Rochdale BC and the other
GM localities to have a stronger approach to managing quality and
cost by working collaboratively.
 
Subject to the
Council’s adherence to the procedure set out in the Greater
Manchester Flexible Purchasing System for administration of
procurement exercises, the platform was a lawful and compliant
route to market.
 
The outcome would
result in a managed external marketplace that would help to manage
and reduce high cost packages of care as well as raising quality
standards within the marketplace.
 
The demand for care
services would be significant over the next few years and there was
a need to sustain and stabilise the markets alongside managing the
budget. HMR had seen increasing costs relating to the health, care
and support for people.
 
Rochdale BC could no
longer continue to commission in silos, in utilising the Flexible
purchasing System it provided the ability to drive innovation and
change in how Rochdale BC commission. Recognises best outcomes
would not be achieved by doing more of
the same, things had to be done differently. Moving towards a life
span approach, ensuring timely interventions and recognising
expertise of key partners, including families and providers across
the care sector.
 
 
Alternatives
considered and rejected:
One alternative was to
do nothing and continue with the current process. The demand for
care services was significantly growing and projections show the
trend will continue over the coming years. There was a need to
sustain and stabilise the care market alongside managing the
budget. HMR was seeing increasing costs relating to the health,
care and support for people therefore doing nothing was not an
option.
 
Establish a local
Flexible Purchasing System or Flexible purchasing System for
Rochdale BC. To do this, the Council would have to commit resources
to administer a procurement exercise that would, in effect, duplicate the results of the GM
Flexible Purchasing System. Therefore offering no benefit.
Greater Manchester
already operated a number of commissioned Flexible purchasing
Systems which were utilised by a mixture
of Local Authorities and Trusts. However these Flexible purchasing Systems expired in September
2024, then extended to March 2025, leading to this being the ideal
opportunity to re-design and for Rochdale BC to become the host
authority to drive and influence the markets.