Decision details

The Better Care Fund was announced in 2013 by central government with the aim to support the transformation and integration of health and social care services. It is a pooled budget arrangement intended to benefit Sandwell

1.1Authorise the Council to complete a procurement exercise in order to secure the provision of 10 block Enhanced Assessment Nursing Beds in one location to secure continuity of provision and to replace the existing contract, which is ending on 14 January 2024.
1.2Authorise the Council to award and enter into a Contract with the successful bidder, on terms to be agreed with the Director of Adult Social Care, for the provision of Enhanced Assessment Nursing Beds to commence on 15 January 2024 to 31 March 2025, with no option to extend.
1.3That the Director - Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer, or their designated representative, execute any documents necessary within a reasonable time to give effect to the proposal in recommendation 1.2 for the provision of Enhanced Assessment Nursing Beds.
1.4Approve an exemption to rules 8.10 and 8.11 of the Procurement and Contract Procedure Rules 2022/23, or subsequent amendment, to allow the Director of Adult Social Care to award contracts to the successful tenderer in the event that the required minimum number of tenders are not received.
1.5That the Cabinet Member also approve variations to the Contract up to a maximum of 10% of the contract value, should they be necessitated, and that authority to approve such variations be delegated to the appropriate Chief Officer in consultation with the Cabinet Member, with a decision notice being published on the Council’s electronic e-tendering portal should a variation need to be enacted.
1.6That the Cabinet Member approve an uplift to the weekly bed rate for Enhanced Assessment Nursing Beds which is to be implemented from 1 April 2024 as per % applied to the Council’s standard nursing dementia rate for 24/25.
1.7That the Cabinet Member approve the decision to apply the following levels of insurance in the Contract:
-Public Liability - a level of £5million (five million pounds) in respect of any one claim
-Employers Liability - a level of £5million (five million pounds) in respect of any one claim
-Professional Indemnity - a level of £2million (two million pounds) in respect of any one claim

The current contract is already in an extension period and there are no further extension options available. The current contract is due to end on 14 January 2024, and therefore the authorisation to commence the procurement process and award a contract to the successful bidder will ensure there are appropriate agreements in place from 15 January 2024 and there is no gap in service provision.

Do not re-procure and allow the current contract in place to lapse. This is not seen as a viable option as there will be increased delays in hospital and people not benefiting from admission avoidance leading to system pressure and a detrimental impact on individuals who will spend longer in hospital despite being medically optimised.
Allow the current contract in place to lapse and procure beds on a spot purchased basis. This is not considered a viable option as spot provision does not have any terms that require care homes to expedite assessment and admission, leading to intolerable delays, however, acknowledging that some spot purchasing will be inevitable.