Current market position
The adult social care market in Coventry is diverse, stable and is resilient with good quality services in the main. Major events such as the COVID-19 Pandemic and Brexit do not appear to have had a significant detrimental or lasting impact on supply and quality. The Council is generally able to secure sufficient services to meet its current level of demand for these services although noting there are service variations in provision. Efforts are being made to enhance the stability of services that support people with a learning disability, physical or sensory impairment, autism or mental health condition with more complex needs. For example, the market does not appear to have sufficient supply available to meet the needs of individuals with complex needs such as individuals with autism or those with particularly challenging behaviours. This is being addressed through our market development activity.
Coventry produced its Market Sustainability Plan in March 2023 which focused on two care markets: care homes for individuals over 65 years of age and home care (or domiciliary care) for individuals over 18. The council engaged with providers to increase awareness, understanding and participation in the cost of care exercise and the Market Sustainability Plan. The plan focusses on the following key areas:
- Intelligence – Engaging and gaining feedback from care providers
- Accessibility – Encouraging the development of a market that offers choices and meets the varied and sometimes complex needs of residents
- Support – Supporting the market to maintain sustainable services
- Workforce – Providing support in recruitment and retention of the adult social care workforce in the city
The Market Sustainability plan has informed our Market Position Statement which in turn has guided the development/refinement of our Market Development Plans which signal to the market in more detail the type, volume and quality of services the Council wishes to commission over the coming years.