Background
The Older People Market Development Plan (65+) – accommodation based, and community services is one of several commissioning plans that aim to improve supply, quality, and access to appropriate provision in the city according to current and predicted increased future needs.
This plan sits under, and should be read in conjunction with, the Market Position Statement [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/43422/coventry-city-council-market-position-statement-2024-2029#:~:text=This%20Market%20Position%20Statement%20%28MPS%29%20provides%20information%20on,and%20meet%20the%20needs%20of%20the%20city%E2%80%99s%20residents.], which provides further context and sets out the shape of the current adult social care market and an indication of projected future demand.
For Older People and Physical / Sensory Impairment (PDSI) services we aim to:
- Promote the greatest level of independence possible, making use of everyone’s personal assets, resources, and abilities.
- Focus on helping people progress through and out of services to whatever extent is right for them.
- Make best use of community resources.
- Future-proof the market with increased quantity of provision, and greater use of assistive technology and innovative models of support.
- Better match supply and demand so there is a choice of good-quality, effective provision to suit different needs, giving us the best possible value for money.
What we plan to achieve
Coventry City Council Adult Social care teams are determined to ensure that all adults with care and support needs, and carers, in Coventry can live as independently, safe, and well as possible and have real choice and control over the care they receive.
For Older/PDSI people services we aim to:
- Encourage maximum independence – Support older adults in maintaining or regaining their independence by utilising their personal strengths, resources, and abilities, so they can continue to live fulfilling lives.
- Promote well-being and reablement – Focus on helping older service users regain skills and confidence, and transition out of services when they are ready, providing the right level of support for their needs.
- Use of community resources – Make better use of local resources, services, and networks to enhance well-being, ensuring that older people are connected with the wider community for support.
- Prepare for the future – Expand and develop available services, work with health partners to establish joined up seamless health and care services; and incorporate new technologies and innovative support models to ensure long-term care options meet the evolving needs of an aging population
Our current position
In Coventry, we take a preventative approach to Adult Social Care, promoting independence and wellbeing through a strengths-based model of support. This means working with individuals to help them identify their own strengths, resources, and solutions to the challenges they face. We empower people to define and pursue their own goals, recognising their capacity to lead fulfilling lives with the right support in place.
The expected growth in older people population in the next 20 years will require some diversion to accommodation-based services (care home and/or housing with care schemes) and therefore require adequate supply and good standards of accommodation and care to meet the changing needs.
Coventry has a wide supply, range, and distribution of accommodation-based care services, including Housing with Care (HWC), residential, and nursing services. However, we would welcome the development of new provision where we outlined our future commissioning intentions. Additionally, we acknowledge the national challenges regarding housing availability and the lack of general needs housing for older people. This plan outlines how we intend to collaborate with housing colleagues to address these requirements.
Future commissioning intentions
Coventry City Council remains committed to delivering high-quality adult social care services that meet the needs of its residents but continues to face financial challenges which will require a collective effort, innovation, and potentially, new forms of partnership across the health and care system and partners.
Continue to raise the quality of provision across the city. This will include working with new and existing providers to ensure a high quality, robust offer is being delivered in all services based on the aspirations and strengths of the service user.
Continue to stimulate the market to facilitate development of the capacity to meet the needs of Coventry people in city except in exceptional circumstances or the person’s choice will we look to place out of city.
Work with the market to develop sustainable ways of meeting growing need for services while the Council is under increasing financial pressure.
Support new ways of supporting people, including options such as housing with care models, support within people’s homes and Artificial intelligence (AI) and use of technology.
How will we co-produce:
We will co-produce with stakeholders including providers, social workers, commissioners, individuals in receipt of care and advocates in the following ways:
| Building a shared vision and fostering collaboration |
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| Creating clear service pathways |
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| Embedding person-centred care planning |
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| Innovative housing and accommodation approaches |
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| Promoting and developing the use of assistive technology |
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| Setting clear expectations and milestones |
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| Reviewing progress |
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Commissioning delivery plan:
Preventive Support
Prevention focuses on empowerment and community connection, which helps people live independently and delay or avoid the need for ongoing care and support. It's a proactive and holistic approach that addresses not only immediate care needs but also long-term prevention through education, community engagement, and supporting the informal networks that people rely on.
ASC Preventative Support Grant (PSG) commissions 13 third sector organisations to deliver a range of support; this was recommissioned in 2022/2023. We have started to recommission this support based on direct feedback from Experts by Experience and providers.
For Older People and for those with physical or sensory impairments, the focus will be on the following areas:
- Unpaid carers
- Dementia advice, support and training
- Support to live independently with sensory impairments.
- Older people information, advice and support.
- Older people reducing isolation.
Supported Housing – Older People
In line with the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act, there is a requirement to develop a Supported Housing Strategy that covers all forms of supported accommodation where Exempt Housing Benefit is claimed. The government are still out for consultation on this work and expected to end in the coming months. The strategy will help improve oversight, quality, and value for money in this sector.
Alongside this, the Council is in the process of developing a new Housing Strategy, which will be completed over the next 12 months. This strategy will be informed by the findings of the Local Plan and will address housing supply, demand, and future plans across all tenure types, supporting a coordinated and sustainable approach to housing in Coventry.
Long Term Support
Home Support
In May 2025, the Council will be re-commissioning long term home support (LTHS) which looks to address the key challenges below, improve on our existing offer and incorporate any learning and new ways of working identified from the Improving Lives program.
LTHS is currently delivered by nine providers covering specific parts of the city (clusters) with two contingency providers to support if required and two legacy providers.
Specialist support will be commissioned on a citywide basis for younger adults with learning disabilities and/or neurodiversity or those with significant mental ill health.
Accommodation based services
The key Adult Social Care service objectives of improving the quality of care and standards of accommodation for older people are:
- Strategic approach to accommodation placements that aligns to the Council priorities and meets the needs of older people allowing for better choice and control for individuals.
- Improve the quality of care provision in city
- Improve the quality of the environment and standards of accommodation in city that meet the needs of Older People/adults with physical/sensory impairment.
Housing with Care (HWC)
The HWC focus is developing and sustaining vibrant schemes with community facilities that enable diverse communities of people, including those with higher-level care needs that delays residential care or reduces their care needs through social participation, promoting independence and resilience.
There is a growing need for changing or fluctuating needs in a HWC schemes for Older People. The benefits of the service users not moving continually through care settings and being familiar with their surroundings as needs fluctuate will support better outcomes and potentially deliver better value for money. The staffing and delivery model will be key to the operational requirements of HWC schemes, there are benefits of a single staffing group that covers the scheme (housing and care) and being able to flex appropriately to meet the changing needs of the people. Alongside the staffing model will be the design and the environmental factors of the facility to meet the needs and different mix of clients accessing these services i.e. dementia friendly and range of community opportunities.
Adult Social Care are expecting to require some additional units for people aged 65+ however the Council’s focus over the next two to five years will be to develop and reshape existing models of care and work with the landlord and care provider to support the changes in demand.
Based on the demographic growth Adult Social Care are expected to require between 46 and 53 extra units by 2030.
There is also an occasional requirement for service users with mental health needs who are under 65 and require care and accommodation, please refer to the Mental Health Market Development Plan.
We also recognise there is an under supply of provision for HWC for private paying individuals and welcome any conversations in this area.
Care Homes 65+
There is a strategic objective to improve older people accommodation standards and quality in city. Whilst there appears to be sufficient capacity in the city (circa 1760 beds) to meet the changing requirements and demands, the current demands suggest that more complex needs are not being met through current capacity.
It is the Council’s aim only to work with provision rated by the Care Quality Commission as “Good” or “Outstanding” and continue to support and develop the market collaboratively. The investment in modern facilities that aids people’s independence which allows residents to continue to live full and meaningful lives whilst in a supported setting with flexible technology solutions plays a key part in future proofing the quality of care and older people accommodation standards.
The Council’s Adult Social Care Market Position Statement (2024-2029) advises that by 2040 it is projected that an additional 421 older individuals will require care home support with or without nursing (Projecting Older People Population Information (POPPI) data).
Longer term, its anticipated growth in Coventry’s older people’s population over the next 20 years which will require improved standards of accommodation, facilities, and amenities over the current stock. Based on population projections and trends in comparison to the availability of current nursing stock, it’s anticipated an increase in the demand for nursing care as illustrated from the ASC Market Position Statement 2024-2029.
The objective is to work closely with key partners including the Partnership Trust, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW), care providers, primary care, and Integrated Care Board (ICB) colleagues to effectively respond to the growing complexity of needs among older people. To meet this challenge, we will need to adopt innovative, integrated approaches, strengthen community-based support, and ensure the services are both responsive and sustainable in the long term.
We will be engaging with Providers in Summer 2025 on the future care home commissioning arrangements.
Private Finance Initiative (PFI)
The City Council currently operates three PFI (HWC) schemes (120 units) and two dementia residential care homes (80 units) (200 units in total) under a contract due to expire in 2032. Although there are still seven years remaining on the agreement, the Council is proactively beginning to plan for the future of these services. This includes early consideration of procurement options to ensure a seamless transition and the continued delivery of high-quality residential dementia care and HWC for Coventry residents beyond the life of the current contract.
Physical Sensory & Impairment including Acquired Brain injury and Bariatric placements
Physical disabilities, sensory impairments, acquired brain injury (ABI), and bariatric needs are often complex and serious in their own right. These conditions frequently co-exist with other health and social care needs, and individuals are often supported through more generalist older people’s or learning disability services.
The Council currently provides a dedicated internal service for individuals with sensory impairments, focusing on the provision of specialist equipment and promoting independence. In addition, hearing and sight loss services are commissioned through the Council’s Preventative Support Grant (Physical and Sensory Impairment – PSI funding).
The Council acknowledges, however, that a smaller number of individuals may have more complex needs that may require access to specialist services beyond the scope of existing provision. In such cases, collaboration with partners in the Integrated Care Board (ICB) will be essential, particularly where needs may fall under health funding or require joint commissioning. We welcome dialogue with providers about opportunities to support people with these needs.
Contact us
Where providers wish to engage on any of the requirements outlined in this plan, we welcome your ideas for delivery.
Please contact SocialCareCommissioning@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:SocialCareCommissioning@coventry.gov.uk] in the first instance.
New requirements will be issued via the Council’s procurement system, please register if you are interested in this area at CSW-JETS