Agenda item - Independent Sector Care Home Contract

Presentation on current arrangements and to consult on Core Principles.

18.1 Contracts Manager Ambrose Pageof the Commissioning Support Unit (Adult Social Care) together with Anne Smith - Clinical Quality Manager and Lawrence Mullen (Brighton & Hove Clinical Commissioning Group NHS Sussex) gave a presentation and replied to questions on the new joint contracts for the City’s care homes.

18.2 These will apply to all the City’s private sector care homes and will be signed up by the Council, Primary Care Trust and the private sector providers. They are in two sections; terms and conditions and service specification. Nursing in care homes had a particular clinical approach that needed an agreed competency framework ensuring a consistent level of nursing. The framework was being drafted with nurses, carers, residents and GPs working together and safeguarding was an integral part. It is aimed at self-assessment rather than formal monitoring and taking effect from 2013. It is being launched at a public event on 3 April at St Dunstan’s. Invitations would be forwarded to OPC Members.

18.3 Funding issues in the private care sector were well known; the framework was to consolidate existing good practice and should not affect financial stability, nor nursing core competences. The Council is currently looking at how fees are paid equitably to providers.

18.4 Linked with the draft framework, a clinical quality review was also in progress in B&H, supported by the CQC, potentially to be applied in other local authorities. A draft leaflet would be circulated for comment. Further information was on the care homes website, being developed to include further information.

http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1200094

18.5 The Chair Jack Hazelgrove thanked the speakers.