Officer Decisions
Joint Associate Director of Commissioning - Tim Golby
Each year the Council determines the inflation to be applied to contracts. This decision relates to all contracts other than Care Home fees. The latter is subject to a separate consultation process and, thus, a separate decision.
- For regulated personal care an uplift of 3.828% to the Primary Providers for the Living Well at Home contract.
- For regulated “spot market” personal care that is outside that contract an uplift of 3.0% but capped at a maximum of £16.84 (cap unchanged from last year)
- For “legacy” unregulated care (enabling) an uplift of 3.0% up to a maximum of £16.84.
- For unregulated care (enabling) which is subject to the new Supporting Independence contract- no increase.
- For “legacy” day opportunities/group-based care an uplift of 2.5%.
- For group-based care subject to the new Supporting Independence contract no increase.
- For Shared Hours Agreements for Supported Living an uplift of 3.0% maximum of £16.34 (cap unchanged from last year)
- Shared Lives- host family rates to increase by 3.0%; administration fee to remain unchanged.
1: The regulated personal care Living Well at Home (LWAH) contract has a formula built into it which calculates the uplift, taking account of CPI and changes to NMW and NLW. This has been applied.
2: The regulated personal care “spot market” cap remains in place and is not inflated because providers have the option of transferring their business to the Living Well at Home contract, where most are able to achieve a higher hourly rate. The lower increase for prices below this cap reflects the different requirements of the LWAH contract. Any provider who wishes to discuss their individual circumstances may contact the Council to do so.
3-4: The new Supporting Independence contract invited providers to set a price for one year (to October 2018) and offers the opportunity to refresh that price this summer, hence no price increase. For legacy “spot” contracts the 3.0% increase reflects NMW/NLW expectations but is lower than LWAH uplift due to the different nature of the delivery requirements, especially in relation to volume and travel.
5-6: the Group Based care rate is not inflated where it is offered through the Supporting Independence contract; fro legacy spot 2.5% reflects the increase needed to meet NMW/NLW but is lower than other contracts due to the different cost structure of that service. All prices with providers have been individually agreed in previous years.
7: The rate for supported living is benchmarked against national indicators of industry costs and the cap is above that benchmark rate, hence no change to that cap. Where a provider us below that cap the price inflation is awarded.
8: Host families are given the same award as comparable other services. The administration fee for Shared Lives has been specifically negotiated.
The LWAH increase is contractually defined and no alternative options would have been possible. For other contracts two considerations were made:
a) not to apply any inflationary uplift- this was felt to be unreasonable, especially in the context of increases to the NMW and NLW.
b) to inflate at the same rate as LWAH- it was determined that different business models and cost structures apply and for regulated providers the option exists to seek to transition to that contract and achieve a higher unit rate.
None
A copy of this decision and any supporting documentation considered by the Officer taking this decision may also be made available or inspection by the public at the Council’s Offices or posted upon payment of any copying and postage charges. Any member of the public wishing to take up either of these options is asked to please ring 01392 382888 or email: members.services@devon.gov.uk