Issue - meetings

 Report by Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director.

Councillor Jerry Wickham presented the report which sets out a proposal for the consideration of the Cabinet regarding extension of the current Integrated Community Equipment and Support Service contract with Medequip for the period of two years; the continuation of current pooled budget arrangements between Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Wiltshire Council, noting that the report was required in advance of procurement activity to utilise the

extension provision within the current contract.

Resolved

1.    That the current ICESS contract with Medequip and nominal pooled budget arrangements are extended for two years, as provisioned for within current contract arrangements.

2.    Note that this proposal has been submitted to the Joint Commissioning Board in May 2016 and the JCB agreed to recommend an extension to the current contract to February 2019.

3.    That the Assistant Director for Adult Social Care is asked, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health Including Public Health) and Adult Care, to establish the exact savings and efficiencies arising from joint working with the provider and then secure these savings through agreed targeted changes in practice and delivery.

Reason for Decision

The core reasons for seeking a contract extension are:

·         The contract was originally awarded after a competitive tender through the OJEU

·         There are a limited number of large providers in the market for equipment and within such a limited market procuring a lower value contract will be unlikely

·         Commissioners from both Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire CCG understand that there are opportunities to reconfigure service provision facilitating greater efficiency from the provider.

·         The current provider is meeting all the necessary performance metrics, is an active and collaborative partner and is keen to explore areas where operational efficiencies can be identified and implemented in order to reduce costs and improve the quality of service delivery

·         The current provider is delivering a high quality service which is backed up by reviews from service users and Wiltshire and Swindon User Network (WSUN) audit

·         Medequip is the largest UK Community Equipment Service provider and currently holds contracts with 35 organisations having won another 4 contracts in 2015. Medequip have been delivering the contract in Wiltshire for the past 17 years. At the present time, given the size of the organisation and their local knowledge, it is unlikely that another provider could match the best practice opportunities and low equipment costs available through Medequip

The two year extension period will be utilised fully by commissioners from both the CCG and Wiltshire Council to inform a comprehensive tender process for the future of this critical frontline service.