Brighton & Hove City Council
Adult Social Care & Public Health Sub-Committee
1.00pm7 March 2023
Hove Town Hall - Council Chamber
Minutes
Present: Councillor Nield (Chair) Shanks, Robins (Opposition Spokesperson) and Appich
Part One
31 Procedural Business
31 (a) Declaration of Substitutes
31.1 Councillor Barnett gave her apologies.
31 (b) Declarations of Interests
31.2 There were none.
31 (c) Exclusion of Press and Public
31.3 In accordance with Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (“The Act”), the Adult Social Care & Public Health Sub Committee considered whether the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item of business on the grounds that it is likely in view of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public were present during it, there would be disclosure of them of confidential information as defined in Section 100A (3) of the Act.
31.4 RESOLVED – That the public be not excluded during consideration of any item of business on the agenda.
32 Community Support and Supported Living Light Touch Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for People with Health and Adult Social Care needs
32.1 The Sub Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Health and Adult Social Care setting out details in relation to the existing arrangements in respect of the existing community support and supported living light touch arrangements in place for people with health and adult social care needs and seeking changes to those arrangements going forward by use of a revised light touch Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS).
32.2 The Brighton & Hove commissioning strategy was to reduce the number of people in residential care, placed out of the city and in long term services that did not meet their needs. Supported Living and Community Support are effective in meeting this goal but have been commissioned under a variety of arrangements and there were gaps in provision. It was proposed to commission a DPS which would:
· Ensure that all providers on the DPS have met quality and val/ue for money requirements and signed up to a new service specification that reflects the needs that people and their carers have identified.
· Attract new providers to the market and create a more diverse market that provides more choice for people.
· Ensure a more strengths-based approach that focus on outcomes for people who receive support.
· Enable the Council to meet the care and support needs of residents who have been assessed as having eligible social care needs in line with the Care Act 2014.
32.3 The report set out the rationale for a light touch tender process to get existing and new providers on to the DPS. Others could join during the lifetime of the DPS and it would be used to identify suitably qualified providers to either direct award or compete for packages of care. Existing contracts that were due to expire prior to the start of the DPS would be extended to ensure continuity of care, the report also sought delegated authority to extend one high value Supported Living contract.
32.4 Councillors Appich and Robins sought clarification regarding quality assurance measures to be put into place. Councillor Appich sought confirmation in relation to quality checks to be undertaken and asked whether those would then be checked annually thereafter. Councillor Appich considered that it was important that providers be encouraged to pay their staff the Brighton and Hove Living Wage.
32.5 It was explained that at the point of application potential providers would need to meet all of the specifications set out. Once engaged as a provider all would need to need to submit quarterly indicators and an annual report, additionally, annual checks would be carried out as well. Whilst payment of the Brighton and Hove Living Wage could not be insisted upon this was actively encouraged and was included as a standing item.
32.6 Councillor Appich thanked officers for the depth of information provided both in the report and in their briefing to members stating that she considered that she had been provided with all of the information that she needed in order to make a positive decision.
32.7 Councillor Nield, the Chair, concurred in that view and sought confirmation regarding how performance would be reported back to the Sub Committee. It was confirmed that this would be reported back, although whether this would be as periodic updates or in the form of an annual report had yet to be determined.
32.8 RESOLVED (1) – That the Sub-Committee delegates authority to the Executive Director of Health & Adult Social Care to establish a DPS for an initial term of five years with the option to extend the DPS for a further period of up to three years and then a further two years;
(2) That the Sub-Committee delegates authority to the Executive Director of Health & Adult Social to award call-off contracts to providers who have been admitted to the DPS;
(3) That the Sub-Committee agrees to extend the Supported Living contract with Grace Eyre Foundation for 9 months from 1st June 2023 to 31st March 2024.
The meeting concluded at 1.25pm
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