Dudleys Short Break pathfinder

1
Dudleys Short Break pathfinder

• Commissioning Issues
• Involving Parents and children in the
  Commissioning and delivery of short breaks
• Richard Servian

2
What is Commissioning?

• Analyzing
• Planning
• Funding
• Procuring/ Contracting
• Reviewing
• Individual v. overall commissioning!
• Ethical base to commissioning?

3
Effective Commissioning will be central to short
break transformation(Pathfinder guidance)

• Planned short breaks commissioning in CYP Plans
• Rigorous process identifying requirements of
  young people with severe disabilities
• Wide consultation
• Map existing provision
• Market management- best combination of skills
  and experience to deliver services of highest
  quality to meet individual needs at most
  economical cost
• Review eligibility criteria in light of new
  resources
• Plan workforce expansion and development

4
Market Development (Pathfinder Guidance)

• Clear distinction between Commissioning and
  provision in LA/PCT
• In-house providers to compete on same terms and
  basis as independent sector
• Transparent pricing covering in-house and
  external sector
• Making markets large enough to interest providers
  e.g., Regional and sub-regional approaches
• Improvement of financial information such as
  accurate unit costs
• More robust monitoring, including improved
  performance indicators

5
Direct payments (Pathfinder Guidance)

• Increase to be promoted
• Not an opportunity to abdicate responsibility
  for market management
• Commissioners to actively support the market so
  provision available to Direct Payment users

6
Dudleys Current Commissioned short break services

• S.31/ 75 Pooled Budget (LA/PCT)
• Residential Short Breaks Unit (4 beds jointly
  commissioned with Sandwell) (SCCT)
• Family-based Short Breaks including Contract
  carers (Barnardos)
• Family support and play activity (Kids Orchard ,
  Rollercoasters)
• Palliative care (Acorns)
• Also specialist PCT 4-bed residential resource
  and Local Authority family Support services
• Mencap Me2 childrens panel

7
Pathfinder Commissioning Activity so far

• Coordination of overall bid
• Needs statistical and financial analysis
  undertaken
• Contract with Mencap Me2 to develop consultation
  with children and families
• Provider Forum
• Meetings re potential for regional co-operation
• Initiation of new tender for family short breaks
• Experimental Projects requests for bids from
  providers

8
Experimental Projects

• Taking advantage of flexibility in Standing
  orders (read them and use them!)
• Simple process of consideration of bids from
  providers for experimental short breaks
  projects
• Objectives include
• increasing numbers of providers
• developing new ideas
• Process started with Provider Forum and user
  consultation
• Bids received from mix of private and voluntary
  sector groups

9
Experimental project proposals include

• Tailor made short breaks through consortium of
  private and voluntary sector agencies managing
  whole process and working together
• Developing whole family provision
• New approaches to Youth clubs and play
• Contract care plus family support provision
• Development of community based palliative care
• Developing community capacity through training/
  development support of smaller vol.orgs.
• Develop provision available through direct
  payments

10
Regional commissioning

• Discussions on sub-regional approach to family
  short breaks
• Already have joint Dudley- Sandwell commissioned
  residential short -breaks unit
• Potential to explore framework agreements
• Regional approaches to training and networking?
• Commissioning National Occupational Standards
  need a regional approach to training
  Commissioners
• Agree performance management approaches

11
To do

• Follow through experiments
• Inclusion! What is it and is it what is wanted/
  needed?
• Major tendering exercises but should follow
  experiments
• Develop regional approaches? Volunteers please!
• Continue involvement of vol sector in
  participation
• Develop rigorous contracting processes that are
  user friendly
• Transparent decision making!
• Involvement of parents and children in
  commissioning decisions
• Develop community capacity model