Agenda item - Integrated Community Equipment Loan Service Partnership - Key decision

Agenda item

Integrated Community Equipment Loan Service Partnership - Key decision

Report of Corporate Director of People

Minutes:

Steve Oakley, Head of Contracting and Procurement, presented the report, which detailed the Integrated Community Equipment Loan Service (ICELS), managed through a partnership between Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottingham City Council and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire CCG.

 

It was stated that the partnership has responsibility for procuring a service that provides equipment to maintain independence to citizens of all ages across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and the current contract has been recognised as being one of the most effective services in the region, both in terms of quality and cost.

 

The partnership was currently working on the process to procure a contract to replace the existing contract which expires in April 2023. The new contract is proposed to be for a period of five years, with a potential to extend for a further 5 years.

 

During discussion, Mr Oakley stated that the report incorrectly showed the spend was revenue, whereas it would be both revenue and capital, and that it had been approved at Capital Board in January 2022 as part of the larger DFG spend. He also stated that paragraph 5.2 (Finance comments) had a typing error, in that it should read ‘£0.774m per annum’, not ‘£0.742m per annum’ as stated, hence the total potential spend of £7.742m over the maximum 10-year contract.

 

Resolved

 

(1)  to approve:

 

(a)  continuation of Nottingham City Council being a party to the ICELS partnership for the duration of the new contract term (up to ten years);

 

(b)  spend of up to £7.742m on services delivered to Nottingham City Council through the ICELS partnership over the next ten years (5+5 years) based upon current budget as pooled funds under partnership arrangement;

 

(2)  to note the work being led by Nottinghamshire County Council on behalf of the ICELS partnership to procure a new contract from April 2023;

 

(3)  to delegate authority to the Director of Commissioning and Procurement to sign the partnership agreement.

 

Reasons for recommendations

 

1.  The commissioning of Community Equipment Services needs a partnership between the NHS and Local Authorities to work effectively and efficiently. Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Community Equipment Loan Service (ICELS) Partnership has been managing the commissioning of ICELS for the NHS, Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Council for over 15 years. The partnership has been very effective with the ICELS provision being recognised nationally for being very efficient and providing a good quality service to citizens.

 

2.  Over the last ten years the cost of ICELS to Nottingham City Council (NCC) have not increased as initiatives undertaken across the partnership have reduce costs and improved the effectiveness of the service. NHS partners have recognised changes in discharge policies have impacted the cost of the service and they have increased their contribution. At the same time, NCC has been able to reduce its contribution by circa £0.3m.

 

3.  NCC could not source a service of the same standard at the same cost without the purchasing power of the whole partnership.

 

Other options considered

 

1.  End the partnership and procure a service for NCC - this was discounted as this would increase costs both of managing our own team and from losing the efficiency of the partnership.

 

2.  Do nothing - this has been discounted as NCC need to have an ICELS service and all evidence points to the partnership approach being the most effective.

Supporting documents: