Decision details

1.              That the Cabinet Member for Adults & Public Health, on recommendation of the Gate Review Panel (“GRP”) approved the modification under Regulation 72 of the PCR 2015 in order to allow the call- off contract for Occupational Therapy services to continue  for two years from 1^st April 2016 with an annual value of £388,200 or £776,400 over two years and a total value of £2,734,400 since the start of the contract on 1^st April 2011, the original contract value being £1,958,000.

1.       This core OT service is a statutory requirement which supports the Adult Social Care (ASC) priorities to keep people well and as independent as possible at home.

2.       The Adult Social Care department is undergoing a period of significant change which includes a proposed restructure of ASC long term care operational teams for all three boroughs. This is being managed as part of the three borough Transformation portfolio and decisions about the future of the teams are due to be made in 2016/17. Therefore, it is not known at this stage how these changes will impact on the OT service, which is in scope of these changes.

3.       As part of the wider transformation, scoping for the future of this service will  include the consideration of a number of options including a two/three borough externalised service, bringing the service back in-house, potentially with three boroughs or the establishment of a Framework Agreement of small providers and Direct Payments. Long term outcomes for this service cannot therefore be effectively made at this stage or in isolation.

4.       As Able2 is currently delivering a high quality service with minimal complaints and offers good value for money, the most expedient approach is to continue with this service, to allow longer term options to be fully explored, scoped and the outcome of the proposed Customer Journey to be agreed. This is expected to result in a full tender exercise of the service.