Agenda item

      Report of the Chief Executive

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling Cabinet Member for Public Health and Public Protection, Leisure, Libraries, Facilities Management and Operational Assets presented the report which provided information for Cabinet to decide on the short-term future of Wiltshire’s Public Health Nursing Services (PHNS), currently delivered by HCRG Care group as part of Wiltshire’s Children’s Community Healthcare Services contract.

Cllr Blair-Pilling explained that The HCRG contract is a collaborative commissioning arrangement between the Council and NHS Bath and North-East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BSW CCG). The total contract value for 20/21 is £13.3m of which Wiltshire Council contributes 47.4% to fund Public Health Nursing (PHN) Services and 2.5% to fund Speech and Language Therapy services to support children with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The five-year contract for WCCHS, awarded to HCRG Care Group (HCRG) in 2016, was extended by two years and expires on 31March 2023.

The report highlighted the impact of Covid in delaying the implementation date for Integrated Care Boards which in turn delayed a long-term model being endorsed . In addition, CCG capacity is affected due to staff being diverted to the Covid response.

Cllr Johnny Kidney, Chair of the Health Select Committee confirmed that he, along with Cllr Gordon King, Vice Chairman of the Health Select Committee, the Cllr Jon Hubbard, Chairman of the Children’s Select Committee and Cllr Threllfall from the Financial Planning Task Group had received a briefing on the report on 24 March 2022. The members recognised the impact of Covid on the commissioning exercise and there were no objections to the proposals in the Cabinet report. Cllr Kidney requested that Overview and Scrutiny continued as an integral part of the process, particularly as the post 2024 specification is developed and taken to market.

Cllr Jon Hubbard, Chairman of the Children’s Select Committee, thanked the Cabinet member and officers for the briefing and highlighted a concern that the targets for contractors were lower than the statutory requirements set for the Council to meet.  Cllr Blair-Pilling noted the concerns and confirmed that the target would be raised when framing the contract.

Cllr Ian Thorn confirmed his support for the contract extension and noted that option 3 would be more challenging than the other options detailed in the report. He asked if the one year contract extension was adequate. Cllr Blair-Pilling confirmed that the contract extension to 31 March 2024 would enable officers to complete due diligence on the options outlined in the report and undertake a full consultation on the proposals.

Resolved:

• Cabinet agrees to the negotiation of a one year contract which is held by the CCG with HCRG Care Group for a further 12 months until 31st March 2024 to enable officers to complete due diligence on the options outlined and undertake a full consultation with children, young people and families as required.

• The decision to award a one year contract is delegated to the Director of Procurement & Commissioning in consultation with the Director of Public Health, Corporate Director-People and Corporate Director-Resources/Deputy Chief Executive, and the Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Education and Skills and Cabinet Member for  Public Health, Public Protection, Leisure, Libraries, Facilities Management and Operational Assets.

• A further paper will come to April Cabinet to recommend the long-term model of a future service.

Reason for Decision:

The contract with HCRG Care Group to deliver the Wiltshire Children’s Community Healthcare Service expires on 31 March 2023 following completion of a 2-year extension to a 5 year contract. There is a need to decide on the provision of Public Health Nursing Services from 1 April 2023.