Decision details

The Cabinet Member for Adults and Health has approved the re-commissioning of a range of short break services for those providing care and support to an adult. The current configuration of services that provide short break services are in the final year of contractual agreement with the Council. The intention is that provision will focus on the different needs of these carers across the county.

Short Break Services for Family and Friends Carers will be part of a range of options that carers will be able to choose from and refer themselves into so as to gain respite. The services will be aimed at the ‘cared for person’ and include:

•     Regular activity based sessions away from the home environment e.g. outings or clubs that are based at a venue. Weekday, weekend or evening provision;

•     One to one support at home and trips out.

The procurement process will follow the principles of good outcomes, quality of service, value for money and additional social capital when evaluating tenders.

The Cabinet Member for Adults and Health has approved that:

(1) a competitive tender process be commenced to commission a range of carer short breaks, to begin on 1 April 2019. To contract for a period of 3 years, with an option to extend for a period, or periods, of up to 2 years and;

(2) authority is delegated to the Executive Director, Children’s, Adults’, Families, Health and Education to award the contracts to the bidders submitting the tenders that best meet the requirements set out in the report and to agree to future extensions of the contract up to a maximum of two years;

(3) initial expenditure, allowing for an annual inflationary uplift, be a maximum of £5.547m with provision for up to an additional £1million to be invested over the lifetime of the contract in new and innovative services, subject to providers being able to demonstrate that this will secure benefits for the County Council at least equivalent to the increase in expenditure.

None