This report sets out progress in implementing the Outcomes Prospectus for Prevention, incorporates details of a recent outcomes focussed tender process, including the involvement of Sutton LINk in the tender evaluation, gives details of the outcome of the tender and makes recommendations for the award of contracts.

Councillor Colin Stears introduced a report which set out progress in implementing the Outcomes Prospectus for Prevention, the Council’s chosen approach to commissioning preventative services for vulnerable Sutton citizens. (Minute 529/12 refers). The report included how the tenders had been put together and the results of a recent outcomes focussed tender process.  It explained how Sutton LINk had been involved in the tender evaluation process, gave details of the outcome of the tenders and made recommendations for the award of contracts.

The Outcomes Prospectus for Prevention acknowledged the important contribution of the voluntary and community sector in delivering services and developing social capital.  Liaison with the voluntary sector had been important throughout. This tender process had provided an opportunity for providers to offer the service models they considered most responsive to service users’ needs and aspirations. 

Five outcome tenders were being sought by this process.  Details of these outcomes and the results were as follows.

Outcome 1: Information and Advice - People live their own lives to the full, maintain and improve their health and wellbeing by accessing and receiving high quality information and advice

Several organisations had provided submissions to provide services to meet Outcome 1 – Information and Advice. Two offered combined proposals across Outcomes 1 and 4.  All proposals that passed the individual Stage 1 evaluation were assessed as a group to determine which combination of proposals provided the best overall information and advice services in terms of quality, value for money and user group coverage, including self-funders. The recommended Advice and Information service portfolio consisted of a generic service available to all citizens supplemented by a range of specialist Advice and Information provision for particular needs groups. The services also provided an outreach function, supporting people in their communities before they required the support of statutory social services, thereby acting in a preventative capacity.  The provision of this range of information and advice services met the recommendations put forward by the recent Health and Well Being Scrutiny Committee (Minute 16/12 refers) following its review of the Transforming Social Care programme.

Outcome 2: Carers - Carers can balance their caring roles and maintain their desired quality of life, which may include employment

Two organisations submitted proposals to deliver a comprehensive service across all groups of carers and a recommendation was to accept one of these proposals. Several of the proposals recommended under other outcome headings would also incorporate some support to carers.

Outcome 3: Practical help - People maintain and improve their level of independence through accessibility of help with practical tasks

A limited number of proposals were received to support Outcome 3. A recommendation had been made to purchase one service.  Consideration would also be given within other prevention work-streams to identify additional ways of ensuring Sutton citizens had access to a range of help with practical tasks.

Outcome 4: Community involvement and preventing isolation - People were able to develop/maintain a family and social life and contribute to community life, avoiding loneliness or isolation

A number of proposals were made addressing Outcome 4 which were of sufficient quality to potentially be funded by the Council and recommendations were made accordingly.

In total, it was suggested that the Council purchased services worth £829,565 to deliver Outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4. This recommended group of services provided good coverage across these four outcomes and all service user groups.  Where a gap had been identified (primarily the issue with Outcome 3 noted above) consideration would be given to future options.

Outcome 5: Supporting people with dementia - Supporting people with dementia to enable them to remain living in their own homes

It was suggested that the Council purchased services worth £139,456 per annum through the Outcomes Prospectus for Prevention to meet Outcome 5. This was less than the full £200,000 reserved to enable people with dementia to remain living in their own homes. The remaining £60,544 would be reserved for additional initiatives to support this group.

The total cost of the Outcomes Prospectus for Prevention was £920,000 which could be fully met from within current budget provision.  Additional expenditure of £109,565 for the current year could be met by virement from Gaynesford Day Centre following its closure and from the Older Person’s Day Service.

If approved, steps would now be taken to manage the end of current contracts and the transition to new services in a planned way, minimising the any disruption to service users and carers and, where necessary, allowing local services to adjust to any changes in future funding.

            Resolved:  (i)  To agree to the award of 16 contracts totalling £1,029,565 per annum to deliver prevention services for Sutton citizens aged 18 and over as set out in Appendix One to the report;

(ii) To delegate decisions about the use of the balance of funds for preventative services to the Strategic Director of Adult Social Services and Housing.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2012 were agreed as a correct record, and signed by the Chair.