Learning Disabilities and Autism Supported Living Care Provision - Peach Cottage, Oak Trees and Hamilton Road

This VEAT notice provides an explanation and justification for the decision taken by NHS Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight (HSIOW) CCG to ensure continuity of service for six tenants within three Supported Living Schemes in Basingstoke and Fareham. Therefore, it also confirms the intention to direct award a 24-month contract commencing 1st July 2022 to Avenues Trust Group due to extreme urgency brought about by unforeseeable events by the contracting authority.

Avenues Trust Group is a well-established and experienced provider of learning disabilities and complex care within supported living schemes nationally. HSIOW CCG has been working closely with Avenues Group over the last three weeks to discuss the urgent input required within these schemes to deliver a safe and good quality service to each person within each scheme.

Avenues Trust Group are a national organisation, they can draw on external provision of managerial and clinical workforce along with recruitment and transformation capability to quickly mobilise the services required for this cohort of service users within the time frame given.

The CCG has been working closely with the incumbent service provider over the last year to review the estates and care profiles, reduce voids, oversee de-registration of one scheme from a residential to a supported living scheme, complete transfer of one property to a new Housing Association and in relation to building project to be funded by NHS capital grant.

The incoming Provider will be required to take over the running of all aspects of the contract, working closely with partner agencies to ensure the safety and welfare of service users whilst building working in progress and the delivery of the third flat for a new service user already planned.

The cohort of people who are service users have either particularly challenging behaviours and / or profound and multiple learning disabilities. Changing care providers is potentially destabilising and detrimental to residents. However, the current service provision is unable to continue safely. The CCG has been commissioning additional staffing for three weeks to stabilise and closely monitor the service. An experienced new provider needs to be brought on board urgently to provide leadership and oversee service delivery within all three schemes.

This will require significant investment of managerial, HR and clinical capacity over a minimum of one year after which a period of consolidation will be required to ensure the services remain on a stable footing. The direct award contract is for 24 months.

Value of fixed term contract arrangement

The contract value is based on an aggregate of hours of care delivered to each person either on a one to one or share care basis in accordance with their current assessed needs.

Total annual cost across the 3 properties £1,635,499.80 plus additional package from September 2022 with estimated value of £312,000 pro rata per annum.