Agenda item

Report of the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:-

1.    Note the ongoing impact of the pandemic on NHS providers and Public Health in the Local Authority; in its role as commissioner of 0-19 Children’s nursing services for Rotherham residents as set out in the report.

2.    Agree the timeline for publication of the tender in April 2022 (subject to a further Cabinet decision confirming tender proposals at an appropriate stage prior to this date) for a period of 5 years with annual extension options after that for up to a further 5 years, making the total potential contract length 10 years. Extensions will only be utilised if performance is strong and there is evidence of continuous improvement.

3.    Vary the current contract with TRFT to allow for a further 12-month term until 31^st March 2023 to facilitate the tendering exercise.  

Consideration was given to the report regarding the Public Health Children’s Nursing services in the Borough. The Local Authority was responsible for the commissioning of these services as described in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. These services contributed to a wide range of Public Health outcomes in infancy, childhood and adolescence including those relating to school readiness, mental wellbeing, child obesity, sexual health and education attainment. The Service was tendered in 2016 and awarded to The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust (TRFT) with the contract due to expire on 31st March, 2022.

An extended procurement timescale for the replacement contract had become necessary as the Public Health resource required to develop the specification had been unavailable as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. An extended timetable also allowed for more work on the shape and specification of a new service. This would allow the Council to undertake a collaborative commissioning exercise with NHS partners and market engagement with potential providers who had been engaged with during the COVID-19 pandemic. A report would be brought back to Cabinet for a decision on the tender once this exercise had been completed.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health confirmed that other options, such as the establishment of a Section 75 Partnership Agreement with the Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group had been considered. However, it was expected that Section 75 would be replaced before the tender was published and as such open tender of the contract was the recommended option.

Resolved:-

That Cabinet:

1.      Note the ongoing impact of the pandemic on NHS providers and Public Health in the Local Authority; in its role as commissioner of 0-19 Children’s Nursing Services for Rotherham residents as set out in the report.

2.      Agree the timeline for publication of the tender in April 2022 (subject to a further Cabinet decision confirming tender proposals at an appropriate stage prior to this date) for a period of 5 years with annual extension options after that for up to a further 5 years, making the total potential contract length 10 years. Extensions will only be utilised if performance is strong and there is evidence of continuous improvement.

3.   Vary the current contract with The Rotherham Foundation Trust to allow for a further 12 months term until 31st March, 2023, to facilitate the tendering exercise.