Decision details

(1)       That the report be exempt from disclosure by virtue of the Local Government Act 1972 Schedule 12A, Part 1, paragraphs 3 and 5 (as amended), in that it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings;

(2)       That authorisation be granted to the award of a contract for eight years with provision for extensions up to a maximum of a further eight years, to the company detailed in the report, for the provision of care services in:

·         Carlton Dene (WCC Residential Care)

·         Westmead (WCC Residential Care)

·         Athlone House (Westminster NHS Nursing Care)

·         Garside House (Westminster NHS Nursing  Care)

·         Butterworth Centre (Westminster NHS Nursing Care)

·         Princess Louise Kensington (Kensington & Chelsea NHS Nursing Care)

(3)     That authority be delegated to the Tri Borough Executive Director of Adult Social Care and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to:

                        I.     Take the steps necessary to conclude the contract

                      II.       Finalise the negotiations, arrangements and terms for the Building Leases, Facilities Management and other budgetary responsibilities such as utilities.

(4)       That authority be delegated to the Tri Borough Executive Director of Adult Social Care and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to approve and manage any variations to the Contract, including contract extensions, provided that any such variations do not exceed 10% of the contract value following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adults and Public Health and the Cabinet Member for Finance and Customer Service.

(5)       That it be noted that a Cabinet Member Report will be required to approve any other variations to the Contract including contract extensions over 10% of the original contract value;

(6)       That it be noted that Cabinet Member approval will be required to approve changes to the Specialist Housing Strategy for Older People including the redevelopment of Housing or changes to the provision of care;

(7)       That authority be delegated to the Tri Borough Executive Director of Adult Social Care and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to enter into an agreement between Westminster City Council,  the Central London Clinical Commissioning Group (CLCCG) and West London Clinical Commissioning Group (WLCCG) outlining the parties approach to:-

·         Mobilisation of the Care Service Provider Contract

·         Governance of SHSOP Programme

·         Updating the SHSOP Business Case and redevelopment plans

·         Financial arrangements including those related to Section 75, National Health Service Act 2006

Reasons for Decision 

The overall Specialist Housing Strategy for Older People (SHSOP) identified that the number of older people in the general population is expected to rise considerably over the next two decades. Although the rise experienced locally may not be as substantial as the rise nationally, it will nevertheless have a dramatic impact on demand for services within Westminster. Conditions such as dementia, primarily prevalent among very old populations, will become increasingly commonplace.

The Council and the NHS therefore agreed that the current service provision needs to continue to improve to meet the present or anticipated future needs of older residents.

The strategy is driving forward an ambitious SHSOP programme and the business case to:

·           Meet the anticipated demand for care provision for older people in Westminster

·           Provide services to meet changing and often complex care needs

·           Deliver savings to both West and Central London CCGs and WCC over the lifetime of the contract.

The Business case that the Council and NHS worked towards established proposals to commission a single provider to manage the services in five existing care homes within the borough and one care home in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. This included two residential care homes (Carlton Dene and Westmead) and four NHS Continuing Care Homes (Athlone House, Garside House, Butterworth Centre - a dedicated Dementia Unit and Princess Louise Kensington). The specific objectives identified in the business case will be achieved via award of the Care Service Provider Contract and the redevelopment phase of the SSHOP programme.

The award of the Care Provider contract is an important first step in the SHSOP programme.