EXCLUSIVE by DOUG COLLIE
Private businesses are being invited to provide day services for Borders adults with learning disabilities who currently receive support from the local council or a charity, a move which aims to save the authorities £350,000.
A notice published by Scottish Borders Council is seeking bids for contract lots estimated to be worth £12 million [exclusive of VAT] over the next five years. The outsourcing move has been set in motion despite some reservations which were expressed in a report to councillors in July.
The five lots are based on the locations in which the day services are currently provided by either SB Cares - formerly an arms length company set up by SBC, but which had to be taken back in-house when it encountered serious difficulties - or the Cornerstone charity which operates in the so-called Eildon area, based on Galashiels.
A procurement description accompanying the invitation to tender states: "The requirement is for day service provision for Adults with Learning Disabilities (AWLD) and/or autism across the Scottish Borders. Day services provide tailored activities and development opportunities for AWLD in a safe environment with the aim of supporting them to develop their social skills, employability, to gain new experiences, and live independently in the community.
"Importantly, day services also provide respite for carers and family members. The day service is a mixture of buildings-based support and outside activities. Time limit for receipt of tenders: 7th November 2022."
The background to the proposed outsourcing is set out in a report prepared for members of the Scottish Borders Integrated Joint Board (IJB) which also has input from NHS Borders.
According to that document from officers Simon Burt and Chris Myers: "Purpose: To seek approval to recommission the Learning Disability Day support services currently provided by SB Cares and Cornerstone (existing providers) from ‘The Market’.
"Recommendations: The Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board is asked to: Agree to issue Direction to Scottish Borders Council to recommission the Learning Disability Day support services from the market. Personnel: Existing staff will be eligible to TUPE [Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment] across to new providers."
The report claimed the project will have a positive impact on carers as the day support services provides a dual purpose in that it also provides respite for carers and family members.
"Engagement with carers took place through 2020-2022 and this has informed the model to be commissioned. A small number of families are actively working with us in establishing the evaluation criteria for tender submission and will participate in formal interviews at evaluation and selection stage. Financial: A savings target of £350k is attached to this project and is reported through the Council’s Fit for 2024 programme board."
But the authors also outlined the risks which might come to light during the outsourcing process.
They warned: "The commissioning process may not attract suitable applicants to deliver any or all of the contract. In this scenario SB Cares and the current independent sector provider will need to continue to reshape while the Learning Disability Service re-visit and consider reshaping the model further.
"A lack of suitable applicants will place the financial savings target at significant risk. Currently £200,000 has been saved recurrently. However this reduction, in the event of there being no suitable applicants for contracts, is unlikely to be sustainable as services remobilise from the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
"Out-sourcing the 5 existing day services run by SB Cares may attract adverse public, Trade Unions and impacted staff commentary."
The IJB was told the last significant review of learning disability day services was in 2011 with a shift to more localised support, disinvestment in some buildings based support, and reinvestment in Local Area Coordination support.
"We now need to continue on the journey of modernisation of locally based services by commissioning a refreshed model of support that maximises the independence of individuals, ensuring there are some buildings based services for those with the most complex needs and providing services closer to home. Our focus needs to continue to shift towards meeting people’s outcomes in a variety of settings within a model of support that can respond flexibly."
The service needed to deliver more financially efficient services to manage within allocated budgets and cope with increasing demand, primarily driven by increasing complexity of support needs rather than numbers of service users.
A total of 187 individuals were receiving day support pre-Covid in a range of settings. Cornerstone (charity) provides day opportunities for 32 people in the Galashiels area. SB Cares caters for the needs of 59. Within the scope of the review were services provided by Scottish Borders Council: · Green Gardens – Peebles (Tweeddale) · Katherine Elliot Centre – Hawick (Teviot) · Rutherford Square – Kelso (Cheviot) · Lanark Lodge – Duns (Berwickshire) · Jedburgh Day Service (Cheviot); provided by 3rd sector · Cornerstone – Galashiels (Eildon).
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