Issue - meetings

Procurement Report: Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service

 

 

Meeting: 19/03/2013 - Cabinet (Item 375)

375 Procurement Report: Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service pdf icon PDF 2 MB

(Report of the Director of Adult and Housing Services. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services). The report seeks approval to enter into an Access Agreement with the Lead Council for the provision of an Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report, introduced by the Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Services, which sought approval of contractual arrangements for the provision of an Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS).

 

RESOLVED:

 

  1. That approval be given to entering into an Access Agreement with the Lead Council in order to access the Framework Agreement.

 

  1. That approval be given to the award of contract under Contract Standing Order (CSO) 9.07.1 d) to Voiceability for a period of two years from 1 April 2013, with an option to extend for two further periods each of one year.

 

Alternative Options Considered

The option of tendering a single contract for Haringey was considered and discounted on the grounds that tendering for this contract in isolation would have been unlikely to provide better value for money for the Council, taking all factors into consideration.

 

The Council has worked with the London Healthwatch Commissioners Group in developing the option set out in the report. In October 2012 it was agreed that it was in the best interests of the Council to join a pan London tendering process, rather than tendering for a solely Haringey service. This was because it was considered that the joint procurement exercise had taken into account the existing contract and market structure and offered the best value for money for the Council in the procurement process and contract management. It is considered that economies of scale will be achieved through the pan London approach; given the anticipated performance of the service in terms of Haringey residents.

 

Reasons for Decision

Cabinet was asked to make this decision so that the Council is able to meet its statutory obligation to have an independent NHS complaints and advocacy service contract in place on 1 April 2013.