Agenda item - Future Funding for Older Peoples' Activities

Jane MacDonald; Commissioning Manager

118.1 A presentation was given by Jane MacDonald, Commissioning Manager for Adult Social Care on a new way of contracting services, such as day services, befriending services and neighbourhood support.

118.2 The new ‘prospectus’ model had been used in other areas such as Birmingham, the Isle of Wight and East Sussex.  It is a different way to contract services in that that it draws into the procurement process a value on the provision of wider social benefits to the community in which the business operates.  In evaluating bids, equal weighting is given to cost, quality and social capital (such as volunteering opportunities, apprenticeships, placements for students.)

118.3 The aim of the provision of services is to meet three key criteria; Supporting people to be as independent as possible, Reducing social isolation and Help people to remain healthy and well for as long as possible.

118.4 The new procedure enables engagement between the local authority and service providers as to the outcomes needed. It enables creativity and innovation, in particular through linking up organisations, including with the for-profit and council-provided sectors. This leads to better use (or ‘layering’) of services, buildings and facilities including transport, that at present have ‘spare’ capacity.

118.5 Examples include day centres, lunch clubs and care homes that arrange activities for older people, sharing of minibus transport. 

118.6 Three geographical areas of the City will each be allocated in the region of £120,000 for services, there would be a further sum of almost £100,000 for a citywide co-ordination service to ensure activities are provided where they are needed.

118.7 OPC members raised points on demographics and where vulnerable elderly people live, and the means of communicating with them. 

118.8 It had to be recognised that some older people wish to remain firmly independent, so it was felt that the presentation of this new approach needed modifying, to be encouraging and positive along the lines that ‘services are available for everyone who needs them and would like them.’

118.9 Councillor Jarrett said suggestions from OPC were welcome up to mid-April. Work with organisations and service users was on-going with an ‘open mind’ to help inform the bidding process. Three-year contracts starting in April 2014 would be awarded this autumn.

118.10 OPC would like to be kept informed of developments as they happen.