The Adult Care and Health Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to receive information briefings on market position statements for domiciliary care, adults with a learning disability, and integrated mental health and wellbeing services. The committee was also set to receive an update on the Tackling Loneliness Strategy Action Plan and review the Council's Contract Register.

Market Position Statements for Adult Social Care Services

The committee was scheduled to review three Market Position Statements (MPS) detailing the current landscape and future commissioning intentions for key adult social care services.

Domiciliary Care Services

The MPS for Domiciliary Care Services outlined the London Borough of Bromley's vision for enabling people to live safely and independently in their own homes. It detailed a strategic approach focused on meeting the needs of older adults and working-age adults, with an emphasis on a least restrictive model that sustains independence. The document highlighted commissioning priorities for the next 12-24 months, including the development of a Domiciliary Care Patch Model, implementation of new Framework Provider contracts, and a focus on achieving at least a 'Good' Care Quality Commission (CQC) status for commissioned providers. The statement also described the domiciliary care landscape in Bromley, noting the borough's significant older population and the projected increase in those aged 65 and over. It detailed the types of care provided, including standard domiciliary care, Discharge to Assess (D2A) services, care for children and young people, and palliative and end-of-life care. The document also outlined the council's commitment to a strength-based approach in assessments and the future funding and purchasing of these services, including the use of the ProContract e-tendering tool.

Adults with a Learning Disability

The MPS for Adults with a Learning Disability presented the council's vision for making Bromley a better place for residents with disabilities, focusing on enabling them to live safely and independently. The strategic approach prioritised enabling friendships and relationships, promoting activity and well-being, ensuring good housing, and fostering freedom of choice. Commissioning priorities for the next 12-24 months included developing community-based services for young people, expanding supported living and housing with care options, boosting employment and volunteering opportunities, enhancing health access, and developing better value for money in residential and nursing care placements. The document detailed Bromley's learning disability landscape, noting a growing population and projected increase in service demand. It highlighted key health challenges, such as higher rates of obesity and diabetes compared to the general population, and discussed housing and supported living, with a significant percentage of residents in out-of-borough placements. The employment section noted a declining employment rate for adults with learning disabilities and a strategic focus on expanding employment services.

Integrated Mental Health and Wellbeing

The MPS for Integrated Mental Health and Wellbeing outlined Bromley's vision for supporting residents with mental health challenges to live well and independently. The strategic approach acknowledged that no health without mental health and highlighted the increasing number of people accessing services. It detailed the development of a new Bromley Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2025-30), underpinned by a comprehensive needs assessment. Commissioning priorities for the next 12-24 months included the agreement of the new all-age strategy, the next phase of the Bromley Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub service with an enhanced single point of access, more comprehensive support for children and young people transitioning to adulthood, a project to prevent unnecessary hospital stays, and a joined-up approach across care, health, and housing. The document also detailed the Bromley Mental Health and Wellbeing Services landscape, noting statistics on mental health prevalence, self-harm rates, and suicide rates. It outlined current services and future needs, emphasising prevention, early intervention, and recovery, with a focus on children to adult transitions and older age and dementia care.

Tackling Loneliness Strategy Action Plan 2022-2026 - Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the progress of the Tackling Loneliness Strategy Action Plan. The report detailed actions taken under three key priorities: Organisation and services, Community infrastructure that empowers social connections, and Building a culture that encourages strong social relationships. Progress highlighted included the delivery of Tackling Loneliness Workshops, presentations on youth loneliness, expansion of the Mytime Active primetime programme, and support for various projects through the Innovation Fund. The update also noted increased social connection through Bromley Well's befriending sessions, engagement with the EU-funded project Lonely-EU, and research participation with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The report indicated that Bromley's achievements in tackling loneliness had been recognised as very impressive by Baroness Barron.

Contract Register

The committee was scheduled to review an extract from the February 2025 Contracts Register, which lists contracts with a whole life value of £50,000 or higher. This report serves as a snapshot of the Council's procurement activity and is used by Contract Managers for their responsibilities. The Adult Care & Health Portfolio had 55 active contracts as of January 2025. The report noted that no contracts were flagged as a concern during this reporting cycle. The register is ordered by contract value, with higher-risk contracts listed at the top. The document also provided a key to understanding the register, including explanations of the Risk Index, Procurement Status, and other relevant details.