Decision details

To approve the provision of 5 Discharge to Assess / Community Flow Beds at Blenheim House to support customers timely discharge from hospital, to support

The contract is due to commence on the 19th January 2021 and run for an 11-week period expiring on the 31st March 2021. The total value for the 11-week term is £60,500.00. Please see appendix 1 for details of the contracts.

To allow the Strategic Procurement Hub to enter into the resulting contracts in line with the Council’s Constitution and Schemes of Delegation, including the use of e­ signatures where permitted and considered appropriate.

There is an urgent need to secure additional in a care home setting because:

a. The UK is experiencing a pandemic outbreak of the COVID–19 virus.

b. Due to commencement of second wave of COVID 19, which has entered a serious phase under the second wave due to variant Covid strains. Although the second wave was anticipated the significant increase in cases, which continues to rise, could not be anticipated. The consequences of the increased cases are not something that could have been predicted.

c. Wiltshire requires capacity to support the discharge of people from acute and community hospitals. In order to create this capacity, the council have been requested to commission additional nursing care provision to facilitate earlier discharge from the community hospital, to create and maintain flow for the whole system (acute hospitals, community hospitals and supporting services)

d. The provision of these services will mean that customers can be supported in a nursing environment (who have not tested positive for Covid – 19) following discharge from an NHS Hospital. This will help support the health system by releasing beds in NHS hospitals for those in greater need of specialist healthcare support.

e. A block contract agreement for additional nursing bed capacity will mean that customers can be discharged quickly, without delay, compared to alternative commissioning arrangements. This therefore provides more responsive capacity needed to support such discharges.

f. The funding for this provision will be provided via the Hospital Discharge Fund (HDF), which in turn means the cost of this provision is met by the NHS.

I confirm that in making this decision I have considered the following in line with Wiltshire Council’s Constitution:

Key decision requirements: Leader and cabinet member have been appraised


Consideration of the area boards and delegated decision checklist for officers on the issue of when and how to involve local councillors and area boards in decisions about local services: Not applicable

Implication of any council policy, initiative, strategy or procedure: Yes

Consultation in accordance with requirements and expectations of consultation strategy: Not applicable

Range of options available: Yes

Staffing, financial and legal implications: Yes

Evidence of due regard having been given to the Public Sector Equality Duty: Yes. This will principally benefit elderly people and others from vulnerable groups.

Risk assessment: Yes

Involvement of statutory officers and/or directors: yes

Regional or national guidance from other bodies: Not applicable

The council’s constitution: Yes

This contract is suitable for execution under the e-signature process: Yes

Given the extreme urgency, no other options were considered.