Decision details

This report seeks cabinet approval to:

a) Increase the hourly rate for commissioned homecare to increase investment in & supply of homecare with variations to existing main and secondary provider contracts and new performance measures.
b) Tender for more secondary providers in zones where there is no secondary provision.
c) Create a framework for other providers to benefit from this investment, to act as a quality check and to bring contracts up to date.
d) Create an investment fund for homecare in the 11 zones in the city to be used for workforce development and training to boost recruitment and retention of care workers and the supply of homecare.

That Cabinet:

1.       Agreed to increase the hourly rate paid to homecare providers in Bristol to £17.68 as of August 13th 2018 and £18.20 from 1st April 2019.

2.       Delegated authority to the Service Director for Adults Care and Support in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care to amend existing main and secondary home care contracts as set out in the report.

3.       Agreed to increase the hourly rate to all other (legacy and new) providers in the City pending the establishment of the new Framework. This would be done under revised terms and conditions.

4.       Delegated authority to the Service Director for Adults Care and Support in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care to tender for more secondary providers in zones where there is an undersupply of such providers and/ or high demand for homecare.

5.       Delegated Authority to the Service Director for Adults Care and Support in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care to re-tender for a main provider in 3 zones of the City as the current arrangement is temporary for one year.

6.       Delegated authority to the Service Director for Adults Care and Support in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care to Develop and implement a new Quality Framework for commissioned homecare provision.

7.       Approved one off funding from the Better Care Fund to create an innovation opportunity to further increase the supply of and outcomes from homecare through pump priming staff recruitment and retention, training and piloting new ways of working with providers.

8.       Noted the review of existing direct payment policies to ensure consistency of approach and price paid with commissioned homecare.

9.       Noted the development of a longer-term transformation plan for commissioned homecare as of 2020 as part of broader health and social care system changes, alongside these short to medium term measures to ensure that there continues to be enough home care capacity across the health and social care system.