Issue details

Central Government guidance, ‘COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements’ (19 March 2020), places a duty on local authorities to assume lead commissioning and contracting responsibilities for “expanding the capacity in domiciliary care, care homes and reablement services in the local area”. The Adults and Health Directorate needs to secure additional care home bed capacity on a short term basis for people who are ready to be discharged from hospital.

A block purchasing arrangement with care home providers has been put in place to secure some step down bed capacity for a three month period, but it is highly likely that this capacity will need to be extended beyond the three month period and the numbers of beds increased, in the event that the demand for this provision continues to increase over the next few weeks and months.

Financial –

Approval has already been given for the Council to utilise regulation 32(2)(c) under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 in order to secure up to 60 care home beds, for a three month period, for this purpose, through block purchasing arrangements.  These regulations will be utilised to extend and expand the provision.

The total cost of this provision is likely to exceed £500k.  In accordance with the guidance on COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements, it is envisaged that this provision is to be paid for from the NHS COVID-19 budget.  However, if required, there is also an alternative funding source, specifically the monies the Council will receive to ease the burden caused by COVID-19.