Councillor Lucia das Neves, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care, and Wellbeing, approved a contract for Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) services for Person B, an individual with complex needs, to enable them to move from a specialist hospital to a community setting. The contract, valued at an estimated £3.8 million for five years with the option to extend for another five, will be jointly funded by Haringey Council and the North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB). The meeting also included a discussion about the limited number of potential service providers due to the complexity of the case.

Positive Behaviour Support Service Contract Award

Councillor Lucia das Neves approved the award of a service agreement to Organisation A for the provision of a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) service for Person B. The agreement covers an initial five-year period at an estimated cost of £3.8 million, with the option to extend for up to five more years, potentially reaching a total cost of £7.6 million. Haringey Council will fund 23% of the service costs, while the NCL ICB will cover the remaining 77%, under section 117 of the Care Act 2014¹. Transition costs will be fully funded by the NCL ICB.

The decision was based on a competitive procurement process using the Adults Supported Living Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS). Seven organisations were invited to bid, but only two met the compliance criteria. Organisation A was selected based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) methodology, which weighted quality at 60% and price at 40%.

Councillor Lucia das Neves raised concerns about the limited number of potential providers, but officers explained that the complexity of the case narrowed the field of suitable suppliers.

The PBS framework aims to improve the life outcomes for vulnerable service users with challenging behaviours, enabling them to live in a community setting. The service provider will be expected to measure individual outcomes and meet the requirements of the council's performance monitoring tool. All staff involved in the service must be paid at least the London Living Wage.

Alternative options considered included:

• Do nothing: This would mean Person B remaining in hospital, isolated from the community.
• Continue searching nationally for an existing community provision: A two-year search by the Haringey Learning Disability Partnership (HLDP) and NCL ICB found no suitable existing provision.
• Acquire and adapt individual accommodation: This would provide a personalised housing and support solution.
• New build property: Sourcing a suitable site was considered problematic due to land shortages.

The chosen option involves purchasing and adapting a property in Bedfordshire to meet Person B's specific needs.

The report noted that although the cost of the new support service is likely to be high initially, it is expected to reduce over time as Person B becomes more settled in the community, creating long-term savings for the council and health services.

The contract includes weekly monitoring meetings for the first six months, transitioning to monthly meetings thereafter, to ensure smooth implementation and address any issues.