Care at Home Contract

For general comments on our contractual approach with specific emphasis on outcomes; partnership working; contract scope; mutual responsibilities; and performance indicators.

Additional payments for outcome assessment and minimum required delivery times would be preferable.

Secure information sharing was essential and co-location of providers and the Council’s staff would be preferable.

The contract scope did not cover people over 65 with a disability but did, in contrast to other self-directed options, include shopping.

Further information was required on a range of issues; the contract pricing model did not meet provider requirements; and being responsible for all referrals in one area was too high risk for one provider

Additional weightings should be given to other performance indicators and that the current key performance indicators were too arduous.

The current contract terms would reduce the contracted hourly and that the proposed contract terms were too hard.

Clarified that assessment of outcomes was the Council’s responsibility and that providers were allowed to determine their required visit times.

Confirmed that detail of information sharing requirements and security would be provided during implementation and that co-location would not be possible at present but this was an aspiration.

Confirmed that the people over 65 with a disability would be covered by a different contract and that shopping is included in all self-directed options but only in specific circumstances.

Confirmed that contract service specification would be updated to include some of the requested information and clarified expectations on others; re-confirmed why we believe the pricing model does meet provider requirements; and set out how the perceived risk has been mitigated.

Confirmed that performance weightings had been applied elsewhere, where possible and equitable, and that the current key performance indicators reflected both the Council’s and service users’ expectations.

Clarified that the contract terms would not reduce the contracted hourly rate and confirmed aspects of the contract that were beneficial to providers compared with current terms.