Agenda item

12.1

The Director of Public Health and the Deputy Executive Director, People Services, submitted a report seeking approval to proceed to award of contracts for provision of sexual health services to commence on 1^st August 2019.

12.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:- 

(a)

notes the additional financial impact on the Council in awarding this contract and that contract award will require additional savings from other budgets in the 2020/21 budget process, and that, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, any immediate financial implications will be addressed by the Head of Strategic Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and the Director of Finance and Commercial Services; and

(b)

approvesthe Director of Public Health and the Deputy Executive Director, People Services, proceeding to contract award in accordance with previous delegations.

12.3

Reasons for Decision

12.3.1

The bids received have been modelled and priced based on outturn service activity data provided by SCC and are therefore considered to be realistic and accurate and any alternative model would require reduced activity with the likely consequence of a significant additional financial pressure on SCC further down the line due to the open access nature of the service and SCC’s related statutory responsibilities.

12.3.2

Approval of the additional expenditure on these services will enable contract award and service mobilisation to commence as per the intended procurement timescales.

12.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

12.4.1

Consideration was given to aborting the current procurement process to allow for further re-design of the service model with a view to generating further savings following a new procurement process.  However, the bids received have been modelled and priced based on outturn service activity data provided by SCC and are therefore considered to be realistic and accurate. Further re-design in response to reducing spend on these services would therefore require specifying a reduced amount of activity. It is likely that this would create a significant additional financial pressure on SCC due to the open access nature of the service and SCC’s related statutory responsibilities.

12.4.2

The intended model has been carefully designed based on service user feedback and detailed health needs assessment. Applying significant changes to the service model could impact on service quality and patient safety.

12.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

12.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

12.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Greg Fell (Director of Public Health) and John Doyle (Deputy Executive Director, People Services).

12.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care.

(NOTE: The decision relating to sexual health services was taken as an urgent item of business at the meeting.)

8.1

The Director of Public Health and the Deputy Executive Director, People Services, submitted a report seeking approval to proceed to award of contracts for provision of sexual health services to commence on 1^st August 2019.

8.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:- 

(a)

notes the additional financial impact on the Council in awarding this contract and that contract award will require additional savings from other budgets in the 2020/21 budget process, and that, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, any immediate financial implications will be addressed by the Head of Strategic Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and the Director of Finance and Commercial Services; and

(b)

approvesthe Director of Public Health and the Deputy Executive Director, People Services, proceeding to contract award in accordance with previous delegations.

8.3

Reasons for Decision

8.3.1

The bids received have been modelled and priced based on outturn service activity data provided by SCC and are therefore considered to be realistic and accurate and any alternative model would require reduced activity with the likely consequence of a significant additional financial pressure on SCC further down the line due to the open access nature of the service and SCC’s related statutory responsibilities.

8.3.2

Approval of the additional expenditure on these services will enable contract award and service mobilisation to commence as per the intended procurement timescales.

8.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

8.4.1

Consideration was given to aborting the current procurement process to allow for further re-design of the service model with a view to generating further savings following a new procurement process.  However, the bids received have been modelled and priced based on outturn service activity data provided by SCC and are therefore considered to be realistic and accurate. Further re-design in response to reducing spend on these services would therefore require specifying a reduced amount of activity. It is likely that this would create a significant additional financial pressure on SCC due to the open access nature of the service and SCC’s related statutory responsibilities.

8.4.2

The intended model has been carefully designed based on service user feedback and detailed health needs assessment. Applying significant changes to the service model could impact on service quality and patient safety.

(NOTE: In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 26 of the Council’s Constitution and the provisions of Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the Chair (Councillor Olivia Blake) decided that the above item be considered as a matter of urgency on the grounds that Cabinet approval was required urgently in order to ensure that the original procurement timescales are achieved, which is critical for service continuity and patient safety, although it had not been possible to give five clear working days’ notice that the item was to be considered at this meeting.)