Decision details

Commissioning New Care and Supported Services for People with Complex Needs

Decision Maker: Co-operative Executive

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

The report outlines the needs of a small but growing cohort of people in the city who have complex and challenging needs and recommends the commissioning of new services to meet these needs.

Decision:

11.1

The Executive Director, People Services, submitted a report setting out proposals to commission new services to provide supported living and care for people with very complex needs. The report describes the needs and current service gaps and seeks approval to secure new provision through a competitive tender process

 

 

11.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

 

(a)

approves the approach to commissioning new services to provide supported living and care for people with very complex needs as set out in the report;

 

 

(b)

delegates authority to the Director of Strategy and Commissioning, People Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Commercial Services and the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care to approve a procurement strategy to secure supported living services in line with the report and thereafter approve a contract award to the successful bidder; and

 

 

(c)

where no existing authority exists, delegates authority to the Executive Director, People Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Commercial Services to take such steps to meet the aims and objectives of the report.

 

 

11.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

 

The approach set out in the report will enable the development of specialist services to fill a gap in care and support provision for people with complex needs for whom current services have not been able to support effectively.

 

It enables the Council to consider the experience, innovation and resources that can be brought into Sheffield from the wider market. It enables services to be provided quickly and timely considering the current service end dates.

 

The services will form an essential part of a wider strategic response to people with complex needs and will compliment internal and external services.

 

 

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

 

 

 

Consideration has been given to tendering for services in fixed blocks of accommodation against a very detailed specification with price as the lead factor. This option has the benefit of bringing stable provision for a range of clients who struggle to live independently. However, to specify too stringent a model, too early, would not give the flexibility to explore different market options to bring in innovation and choice and offer solutions that we may not have considered yet. The current services could be allowed to close and not be replaced, and we could not take the opportunity to commission services that have been identified in the needs’ analysis. This would save the Council immediate funding but would result in higher costs further down-stream in care, housing and community safety, and there would then be no suitable services for this client group. More importantly we would not be providing good quality services to support recovery and independence for people with specific needs, and in addition who are socially excluded. Consideration has been given to the potential for the Council to establish new provision and run it directly. However, the Council’s housing service are having to accommodate a higher number of people who would otherwise be sleeping rough following the Covid Outbreak and new requirements, as well as finding alternative temporary accommodation.

 

Needs for new services are high and any new developments through the Next Steps funding for rough sleepers will be part of a separate and wider requirement to offer choice. Social care managers are already concerned about the lack of provision for this client group. There are a number of good external partners who would be in a position to bring innovation quickly to a commissioning process and secure new accommodation unavailable to the Council. The recommendation therefore is that this project commissions externally, as part of a wider strategy for support and housing which includes new provision being also developed by the Council.

 

 

11.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

 

 

 

None

 

 

11.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

 

 

 

None

 

 

11.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

 

 

 

John Macilwraith, Executive Director, People Services.

 

 

11.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

 

 

 

Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee.

 

Report author: Sam Martin

Publication date: 24/09/2020

Date of decision: 23/09/2020

Decided at meeting: 23/09/2020 - Co-operative Executive

Effective from: 01/10/2020

Accompanying Documents: