Commissioning Intentions
Direct Award Contracts
Put in place Direct Award Contracts, including existing block arrangements, to create robust and legally compliant contracts. This will ensure Adult Social Care can continue to place individuals in older people (OP) care homes when the current framework ends (Q1–Q2 2026/27).
Monitoring and Oversight
Work alongside contract management and BI colleagues to design and embed improved monitoring arrangements. This will focus on:
- Tracking the value and usage of block beds
- Managing voids more effectively
- The aim is to strengthen oversight, improve performance, and support better decision-making (Q2–Q3 2026/27).
Increasing Affordable Capacity
Carry out a procurement exercise to increase the availability of lower-cost block beds for older people requiring long-term care (Q3–Q4 2026/27).
Future Capacity Options
Undertake a feasibility study to explore longer-term options for creating more affordable care home capacity. This may include approaches such as joint ventures with developers or care providers (2027/28).