17-156 Home Care and Support Services

The Council is developing a new system to purchase Home Care and Support. The procurement exercise will be undertaken in line with the Light Touch Regime and in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations 2015. The new system is a Flexible Purchasing System (FPS) also known as a Pseudo Dynamic Purchasing System.

This procurement exercise is being undertaken jointly with NHS Rotherham CCG (the CCG). The Council will lead the procurement exercise to secure a new model of home care and support but the Service Specification has been designed with NHS Rotherham CCG and is very much a joint approach.

The Council’s objectives in establishing this system are to:
•give Providers who meet certain standards an opportunity to obtain approved status with the Council.
•increase the confidence of people accessing home care and support from Providers who have approved status with the Council.
•enable the Council to work in a spirit of cooperation with existing and prospective Providers, and other stakeholders (e.g. people accessing home care and support) to achieve these objectives.
•formalise contractual arrangements between approved Providers and the Council.
•encourage ongoing improvements in Provider standards.
•encourage new entrants into the market by allowing them access to Council contracts without an unnecessary long wait.
•improve outcomes for people accessing home care and support.
•minimise the administrative burden on both the Council and Providers.
•give the Council better value for money in its expenditure with Providers in this field.

The Flexible Purchasing System will comprise of 6 Lots

Appendix A - Home Care and Support FPS Overview provides an overview of the Lots
Applicants should complete the Part 3 Application document(s) relevant to the Lot(s) they are applying for.
Applicants should read Appendix B– Home Care and Support Flexible Purchasing System Rules which provides full details of how the FPS will operate and all other Appendices before completing their application(s).
Lot 1, Lot 2 and Lot 3 Home Care and Support Service Providers will be arranged over two Tiers
Tier 1 - Lots are defined by geographical zones:
Tier 1 - Lot 1 – Rotherham North
Tier 1 - Lot 2 – Rotherham South
Tier 1 - Lot 3 – Rotherham Central
Three Providers will be appointed in each Lot. Applicants must identify their preference of the Lot(s) they wish to apply for and rank their preference in order when completing the Part 3 Application - Lots 1-3.
Applicants appointed to Tier 1 will be required to deliver service in the geographical zone they are appointed too, they may if they choose provide service in other parts of the borough.
Tier 2 Providers are expected to provide service across the whole of the borough however this is not a contractual requirement. There is no limit to the number of providers who can be appointed to Tier 2 status. Applicants that do not wish to apply for Tier 1 status may apply for Tier 2 status only by completing Part 3 Application Lot 1-3 and indicate this as their preference.
Applicants that meet the quality threshold but are not appointed to Tier 1 will automatically be offered a place on Tier 2.

Lot 4 - Specialist Home Care and Support Service
Providers may apply for this Lot if they are a specialist service in that their whole purpose has specific aims which are directed towards the relief by reason of disability and concern and are particular to a client group i.e. a learning disability organisation would support only people with learning disabilities, a mental ill-health organisation would only support people with mental ill-health and so on for sensory impairment or particular physical disability.
There is no limit to the number of providers that can be appointed under this Lot. Providers may work across the whole borough or choose to work in a geographical zone. Applicants should complete Part 3 Application and indicate Lot 4 - Specialist Home Care and Support Service in the preference table.

Lot 5 Unpaid Carers Home Care and Support and Breaks Service
Providers may apply for this Lot only if they are a specialist service in that their whole purpose is directed towards the provision of service and support to the particular client group of Unpaid Carers. This Lot will be awarded to one Provider only. This provider will be expected to provide the service borough wide. Applicants should complete the separate Part 3 for Lot 5 - Unpaid Carers Home Care and Support and Breaks Service.

Lot 6 All
Any Provider appointed to any of the Lots 1-5 will automatically be awarded a position in Lot 6 and will be able to be considered for any future Home Care and Support procurement activity, for example Extra Care, Reablement and Night Visting. Applicants are not required to complete a Part 3 Application for this Lot.

The aim of this FPS is to procure quality and sustainable Home Care and Support Services.
The Home Care and Support Service will be accessed by:
•Rotherham residents over 18 who have been assessed as eligible to receive Home Care and Support, and who receive care commissioned by the Council or the CCG.
•Home Care and Support recipients who have transitioned from Children and Young People Services (CYPS) to adulthood aged 18-25 years.
•Unpaid Carers

People accessing the home and support service may experience dementia, learning disability, sensory impairment, autistic spectrum disorders, mental and emotional distress, severe physical impairment and/or acquired brain injury.

The Home Care and Support Service will meet the needs identified in a Support Plan. The types of service which will be delivered are described in the Service Specification.

The Flexible Purchasing System is advertised as an indicative 5-year opportunity.
The Council may continue the Flexible Purchasing System after the end of the 5 years if it wishes to do so.