Issue - meetings

(Report of the Director of Public Health. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services). The report seeks approval to a waiver of tendering requirements, set out under Contract Standing Order (CSO) 9.01, in order to fulfil the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, which requires Local Authorities to establish as local Healthwatch organisation by 1 April 2013.

Cabinet considered a report, presented by the Cabinet Member for Finance and Carbon Reduction, which sought approval to waiver tendering requirements, set out under Contract Standing Order (CSO) 9.01, in order fulfil the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, which required Local Authorities to establish a local Healthwatch organisation by 1 April 2013.

Exempt information was considered under Item 31.

RESOLVED:

1. That the waiver of tendering requirements of CSO 9.01 be approved, on the grounds that the nature of the market for the services was such that a departure from the requirements of the CSOs was justifiable  (CSO 10.01.2 a)) and that it was in the Council’s overall interest to meet the requirement of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to have a local Healthwatch organisation in place by 1 April 2013;

2. That the award of contract under CSO 9.07.1 d) to Organisation A (detailed in the exempt part of the report at Appendix 2 ) for a period of two years from 1 April 2013, with an option to extend for up to one year, be approved; and  

3. That it be noted that, under terms of the Council’s contact, Organisation A would be required to sub-contract one function within the Healthwatch model to Organisation B, for a period of two years from 1 April 2013, with an option to extend for up to one year.

Alternative Options Considered

The Council has worked with the London Healthwatch Commissioners Group in developing the option set out in this report.

Reasons for Decision

Cabinet is asked to make this decision so that the Council is able to meet its statutory obligation to have an effective Healthwatch Provider and contract in place on 1 April 2013. Any delay to the already tight timescale reduces the likelihood of developing a professional, representative and accountable Healthwatch organisation that Haringey residents and stakeholders can trust and have confidence in.