The Committee noted that Sara Storey has joined the committee as Nottingham City Council’s Director of Adult Social Care, and that Helen Watson has joined the committee as Nottingham City Council’s Interim Director of Children’s Integrated Services.

Alison Challenger  (Director of Public Health, Nottingham City Council)

Sarah Collis  (Chair, Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire)

Steve Oakley  (Acting Director of Commissioning and Procurement,

Nottingham City Council)

Sara Storey  (Director of Adult Social Care, Nottingham City Council)

Helen Watson  (Interim Director of Children's Integrated Services, Nottingham

City Council)

None.

Minutes of the meeting held on 30 September 2020, for confirmation

The Committee confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on 30 September 2020 as a correct record and they were signed by the Chair.

Report of the Acting Director of Commissioning and Procurement, Nottingham City Council

Anna Coltman, Commissioning Officer at Nottingham City Council, presented a report on the provision of the Integrated Assistive Technology (AT) and Dispersed Alarms Services. The following points were discussed:

(a)  the Integrated AT and Dispersed Alarms Services are commissioned by the Council, with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The Council acts as the lead commissioner for these services, which are funded through the Better Care Fund. The key outcomes of the services are that citizens are enabled to remain living independently in their own home safely and for as long as possible, requirement for moves into residential care are prevented or delayed, and unnecessary hospital admissions are avoided;

(b)  the current contracts come to an end on 31 March 2021, so it is proposed to re-award two new three-year contracts to Nottingham City Homes (NCH) through a ‘Teckal’ arrangement. This direct award represents best value because NCH has a strong, existing infrastructure and response framework across the city (including a call centre team to monitor service needs and coordinate responses), which has operated effectively in delivering the services throughout the contract term, including the period of the Coronavirus pandemic;

(c)  value for money during the current contracts has been monitored through service reviews with the provider and the analysis of statistical information, including assessment of call volumes and the reasons for calls, to measure the impact of the service provision on citizens. These reviews have involved the Council, the CCG and the Integrated Care Partnership;

(d)  the Committee considered that the contracts proposed represent a good strategic direction for services supporting independent living for citizens across the city.

Resolved:

(1)  to endorse Nottingham City Council as the lead commissioner of the Integrated Assistive Technology Service and the Dispersed Alarms Service;

(2)  to approve the award of the Integrated Assistive Technology Service contract to Nottingham City Homes as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Council, through ‘Teckal’ arrangements. This is a 3-year contract with an annual value of £434,400 and a total value of £1,303,200;

(3)  to approve the award of the Dispersed Alarms Service contract to Nottingham City Homes as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Council, through ‘Teckal’ arrangements. This is a 3-year contract with an annual value of £17,940 and a total value of £53,820;

(4)  to delegate authority to Nottingham City Council’s Acting Director of Commissioning and Procurement to award and sign the contracts for these services;

(5)  to approve the spend associated with this decision, subject to the joint approval of the 2021/22 Better Care Fund Plan, as detailed in Section 4 of the report.

·  Reasons for the decision

To ensure that the provision of the Integrated AT and Dispersed Alarms Services remains in place when the current contracts end on 31 March 2021, so that citizens are enabled to remain living independently in their own home safely and for as long as possible, any requirement for moves into residential care are prevented or delayed, and unnecessary hospital admissions are avoided.

·  Other options considered

(1)  To do nothing: this option was rejected as the current contracts are ending and new arrangements are required to maintain service provision.

(2)  To seek to review service provision and explore alternative models: this option was rejected for the Integrated AT Service as the contract has been subject to review in the previous term of the contract, which resulted in a contract variation to reduce the contract value. Any further changes to deliver efficiencies would risk destabilising the current service model provided by NCH. The Dispersed Alarms contract has been subject to a review of service provision, resulting in a change to the service model.

(3)  To extend the contracts for a further year: this option was rejected as the contract is ending with no option for extension and a decision is required to put new arrangements in place. New contracts will allow commissioners to work with the provider to explore opportunities for achieving better value for money, to review and remodel the service and to explore a broader range of equipment choices for citizens. Commissioners will also initiate development work with NCH to create an outcomes-focussed service model and align the service with Council’s draft Digital Strategy. This development work will form part of the annual reviews.

(4)  To tender the services through an open and competitive tender process: this option was rejected as the current services are considered to be delivering value for money for the Council. NCH as housing and alarm service provider has infrastructure, systems and processes in place that any new provider would need time and funding to establish. There are not considered to be other providers who could deliver the same service within Nottingham. NCH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Council, so direct awards are permissible through ‘Teckal’ provisions of the Procurement Regulations.

Wednesday 26 May 2021 at 4:00pm

Wednesday 28 July 2021 at 4:00pm

Wednesday 29 September 2021 at 4:00pm

Wednesday 24 November 2021 at 4:00pm

Wednesday 26 January 2022 at 4:00pm

Wednesday 30 March 2022 at 4:00pm

The Committee noted the provisional meeting dates for the coming 2021/22 municipal year.