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• Contract and Commissioning

Contracts and Commissioning

The team is located at the Centre for Integrated Living (Faseman House) and we work very closely with our colleagues in the Physical and Sensory Impairment Teams as well as the Occupational Therapy Service (based at the same site).  We also have close working links with other Contracts and Commissioning Teams at the City Council, particularly those in Community Services.

Contracts and Commissioning for Adults with a Physical or Sensory Impairment

What do we do?

Our work covers three areas;

• Commissioning
• Procurement of Services
• Contract Management.

Commissioning

We work with a range of individuals and organisations to identify what care and support services are required to meet the needs of citizens with a physical and/or sensory impairment.  To do this we have to be clear about demand requirements and current service provision. This is to ensure that solutions to present and future needs are effective, as well as providing value for money.  This process is ongoing and we aim to commission services in a planned and proactive way. 

Procurement

'Procurement' refers to the purchasing function.  In our team we are buying social care and support services so we state, very explicitly, what we require. We can clearly identify requirements as a result of our commissioning activities. We aim to achieve successful outcomes at a price that is affordable.  We may need to buy services on a one off basis or on a regular basis. In either case we are required to follow the city council's procurement regulations. This often means that we have to go out to tender to obtain 'expressions of interest' from a number of providers. Sometimes, if the service requirement is unique, we work closely with a partner organisation to deliver the stated outcomes.  We purchase services from a wide variety of providers. This can mean private companies or individuals, other statutory services or voluntary organisations, therefore the majority of our work is with external organisations.

Contract Management

When we purchase a service we have an agreement (contract) to formalise our requirements. A number of activities in the team focus on ensuring that our contracted provider is delivering what was agreed. We measure the service against a range of standards that check for quality.  Increasingly, our contracts are focusing upon service user outcomes, that means identifying what has improved in an individual's life.  The contract enables both the Council and the service provider to understand exactly what is expected in terms of role, responsibilities and standards of service. 

Who makes up the Contracts & Commissioning Team?

The team consists of the following:

• Senior Contracts Officer- mainly involved in procurement and contract management.
• Contracts Officer- involved in procurement and contract management
• Commissioning Officer- involved in commissioning.
• Partnership Facilitator - supports the involvement of service users and family carers in the shaping of services.
• Commissioning and Partnership Support Officer- provide administration support to the team.

What's the aim of our work?

In line with the Community Services Directorate improvement plan we work to deliver the following:

• Develop a range of planned services to meet the diverse needs of citizens with a Physical and/or Sensory Impairment.
• Continue to promote independent living within a setting of choice within the community.
• Maximise service choice for all service users whether people in receipt of purchased services or direct payments.

How do Service Users get involved in Contracts and Commissioning?

We are developing a range of opportunities for service users and carers to get involved:

• Collectively via the Partnership Board and Service User/Carer Reference Groups: members of the team regularly attend both to provide information and gather views and feedback on a range of activities that we are involved in. The Partnership Facilitator supports both the Reference Groups and the Partnership Board.
• Individually via care plan reviews, 'Speak Up' leaflets, service user feedback questionnaires for some purchased services, surveys that gather views to direct the development of services. 

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