Purpose

The Better Care Fund was announced in 2013 by
central government with the aim to support the transformation and
integration of health and social care services. It is a pooled
budget arrangement intended to benefit Sandwell

Content

1.1Authorise the Council to complete a
procurement exercise in order to secure the provision of 10 block
Enhanced Assessment Nursing Beds in one location to secure
continuity of provision and to replace the existing contract, which
is ending on 14 January 2024.
1.2Authorise the Council to award and enter into a Contract with
the successful bidder, on terms to be agreed with the Director of
Adult Social Care, for the provision of Enhanced Assessment Nursing
Beds to commence on 15 January 2024 to 31 March 2025, with no
option to extend.
1.3That the Director - Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer,
or their designated representative, execute any documents necessary
within a reasonable time to give effect to the proposal in
recommendation 1.2 for the provision of Enhanced Assessment Nursing
Beds.
1.4Approve an exemption to rules 8.10 and 8.11 of the Procurement
and Contract Procedure Rules 2022/23, or subsequent amendment, to
allow the Director of Adult Social Care to award contracts to the
successful tenderer in the event that the required minimum number
of tenders are not received.
1.5That the Cabinet Member also approve variations to the Contract
up to a maximum of 10% of the contract value, should they be
necessitated, and that authority to approve such variations be
delegated to the appropriate Chief Officer in consultation with the
Cabinet Member, with a decision notice being published on the
Council’s electronic e-tendering portal should a variation
need to be enacted.
1.6That the Cabinet Member approve an uplift to the weekly bed rate
for Enhanced Assessment Nursing Beds which is to be implemented
from 1 April 2024 as per % applied to the Council’s standard
nursing dementia rate for 24/25.
1.7That the Cabinet Member approve the decision to apply the
following levels of insurance in the Contract:
-Public Liability - a level of £5million (five million
pounds) in respect of any one claim
-Employers Liability - a level of £5million (five million
pounds) in respect of any one claim
-Professional Indemnity - a level of £2million (two million
pounds) in respect of any one claim