Report to:	Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health
Date of meeting:	28 September 2022
By:	Director of Adult Social Care and Health
Title:	Direct Payments Support Service (DPSS) Provision
Purpose:	To seek Lead Member approval for the commissioning of DPSS for a new service to be in place by April 2024.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health is recommended to:

1. approve a commissioning exercise for DPSS which will ensure the new service is in place by 1 April 2024; and

2. delegate authority to the Director of Adult Social Care and Health to take all necessary actions to give effect to the implementation of the above recommendation.

1 Background

1.1 Direct Payments (DPs) enable any disabled adult or parent of a disabled child who is eligible for a Community Care Service or service provided under S.17 of the Children Act 1989[1] to receive an agreed sum of money to purchase the support they need (“Personal Budget”) instead of receiving a service directly from the relevant local authority. This also includes services that may be provided to carers under section 2 of the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000[2]. The Care Act (2014) explicitly encourages direct payments for people accessing care and support[3].

1.2 Nationally and locally, there is an increased emphasis on personalised care and self-directed support and the use of DPs are one of the key mechanisms for providing eligible individuals with choice and control over how their care and support is provided. The council monitors the number of people using direct payments, as a percentage of the number of people receiving long term care. The current target is 31.5%, which the council usually meets or exceeds.

1.3 There are currently 1,515 clients receiving a Direct Payment, this is around 32.7% of the clients receiving long term support in the county. The value of these payments is approximately £7.5 million each year.

1.4 Adult Social Care (ASC) currently commission DPSS from two providers, People Plus Limited and Independent Lives (Disability), and support around 500 people. The contract was let over a 4-year period and the option of a 24-month extension was agreed at the Lead Member meeting of 22 March 2022[4], extending this provision until March 2024. This support can include recruiting PAs and carrying out pre-employment checks, payroll and providing ongoing advice and guidance to employers.

2 Policy Framework

2.1 The commissioning activity and future DPSS model will be influenced and determined by several Adult Social Care (ASC) key workstreams already underway – these include:

· ASC Strategy

· Personalisation Board (focus on Direct Payments internal service review and associated ‘back office’ functions)

· Being Digital Programme

· Support with Confidence Scheme and the provision of Personal Assistants review.

2.2 The new DPSS will also help to shape the local response to emerging national policy, including the recent social care reforms.

3 Financial Implications

3.1 The current contract value for the DPSS is up to £636,451 per annum.

3.2 The budget for the new service will depend on the activities within the scope of the service and those which are delivered directly by the council. The partnership with the incoming provider may be varied over the life of the contract to include additional functions and services. The council has published an initial request for information from potential providers, which includes further information to scope costs for the service.

4 Project Governance

4.1 A project board will be formed to oversee the commissioning exercise. The project board will be responsible for developing the specification for the new DPSS, as well as identifying and managing internal resources to support the project. The project board will escalate risks and issues to the project sponsor, the Assistant Director for Strategy, Commissioning and Supply Management, as required.

4.2 An Equalities Impact Assessment for the DPSS, together with an engagement and

communications plan, will be developed to ensure lived experience shapes the development of the service.

4.3 Longer contracts are considered more attractive to potential providers and offer consistency for clients. However, the route to market will need to achieve a high degree of flexibility to respond to changing demand and service requirements throughout the contract. This may include legislative changes in response to the social care reforms and personalisation white paper. The procurement team and project board will scope the potential partnership arrangements with an incoming provider.

5 Conclusion and reason for recommendations

5.1 DPSS offer vital provision to support eligible individuals with their management of their Direct Payments and in turn to meet their care and support needs. As such, it is important that future DPSS promote personalised care and self-directed support and the commission will enable the development of the future model.

MARK STAINTON

Director of Adult Social Care and Health

Contact Officer: Sam Tearle, Tel. No: 01273 336512
Email: sam.tearle@eastsussex.gov.uk