Purpose

Care and support at home
services (also known as domiciliary care or home care) are
purchased by the county council on behalf of people who have been
assessed as having eligible social care needs. These services
support people to maintain their independence through the delivery
of personal care and support, provided within a person’s own
home.
 
The county council currently
commissions the majority of these services from a framework
agreement which commenced in 2015. This will come to an end at the
latest by March 2024. This framework was developed jointly with NHS
Continuing Healthcare who also use the contract. In addition, the
county council purchases services from the wider market through a
legacy contractual agreement and a more recent contingency
contract. 
 
The commissioning of these
services  is currently being reviewed
with proposals being developed for new arrangements and contractual
agreements.  These will enable the
achievement of our strategic aim to support people to live
independent and fulfilled lives and also to reduce the need for
long term residential services as part of the ambitions set out in
the Adult social
care strategy 2022-25. New arrangements will seek to ensure
there is capacity across West Sussex to meet the needs of those
with care and support needs and supports a sustainable care and
support at home provider market in West Sussex.  The expected value of the annual spend on
domiciliary care for the life of these new arrangements is
approximately £35 million, potentially rising to £40
million over the life of the contract depending on inflationary and
demographic pressures.
 
Following the review, the
Cabinet Member for Adults Services will be asked to approve the
commencement of a procurement process to source the future care and
support at home services and delegate authority for contract award
to the Director of Adults and Health.
 

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Adults Services has
approved;
 
(1) 
the extension of the 2009 Domiciliary Care Framework, the 2015 Care
and Support at Home framework and the 2021 Contingency contracts
until 31 March 2025, with initial six (6) month extension issued to
contracted providers from March to September 2024;
 
(2) 
the commencement of a procurement for care and support at home
services, with contracting arrangements planned to commence on 29
September 2024; and

(3) 
delegated authority for the approval of contract award and any
subsequent decisions and awards relating to these contracting
arrangements to the Director of Adults and Health.