Agenda item

[Report of the Director for Adults  and Heath. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Adults and Health.]

This Housing Related Support contract will be a borough wide Community Navigator Service for older people aged 50+ and will be delivered from a range of community settings in 8 localities.

The Cabinet Member for Adults and Health introduced the report which sought approval to the award a contract for the provision of a Community Navigator Service for Older People in Haringey.

In response to a question, it was noted that the Local Area Co-ordinators would be linked to services, and expected to work closely with the Community Navigator. Going forward, the directorate would ensure that there was continual engagement between the Navigators and local area co-ordinators.

Further to considering exempt information at item 27,

RESOLVED

1. To approve the award of a contract for the Community Navigator Service, to the organisation outlined in the exempt report (Appendix 1).

2. That the contract is award for a period of three (3) years with the option to extend for two (2) further periods of two (2) years each, with a commencement date of 1^st April 2019.

3. The total value of the contract for the initial three (3) years is £1,248,100.00 and the total value over the seven (7) years is £2,934,780.00

Reasons for decision

It was necessary to tender for this service to provide essential housing-related services to vulnerable older residents and to achieve value for money.

As a result of the procurement process, which has been carried out in line with the Council’s Contract Standing Orders and the Procurement Code of             Practice, it is necessary to award the contract to the successful tenderer in accordance with 9.07.1 (d).

Alternative options considered

Do nothing

The Council could move forward without recommissioning the older people’s housing related support services as there is no statutory requirement to do so. Sheltered Housing could continue to operate without the addition of support funding, which is the operating model used in the majority of local authorities across England and Wales.

However, there is clear evidence of the value of early intervention and prevention outcomes with this client group and a strong market of providers equipped to deliver positive preventative support around health, housing and social care. Not to recommission a housing-support offer for older people would have a negative impact on Haringey’s vulnerable older residents, undoubtedly adding significant pressure to Adults Social Care provision in the borough, as well as a range of other Housing and Health services.

Recommission services ‘as-is’, mirroring current service models and contracting arrangements

The Council could choose to recommission the current contracts making only minor changes to current specifications to remain adherent to new and updated legislation and policy.

The needs, demographics and capabilities of older people have changed at a significant pace in the last ten years and the current housing support offer is no longer delivering good value or meeting expectations. Current evidence shows that there has been a steady reduction in demand for sheltered housing as older people choose to remain in their homes for longer. Whilst this is often positive, this can result in missed opportunities to access help and support to sustain that independence in a positive way. In effect, under the current model, older people who do not live in sheltered housing do not have the same access to support as those who do, often with little discernible difference in need.

This option would fail to deliver the recommendations from the Supported Housing Review as approved by Cabinet in March 2017