Agenda item

Joint Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services and the Chief Officer for Communities, Public Health, Environment and Prosperity on approval for the provision of the 0-19 Public Health Nursing, Portage, ROVICs and Residential Short Breaks services from April 2019 onwards and for the re-commissioning of OT and CAMHS from April 2019.

An impact assessment will follow and will be published here in due course.

(Councillor Dewhirst declared a personal interest in this matter by virtue of being a Governor of Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education)

(Councillors Connett and Dewhirst attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Joint Report of the Chief Officer for Children’s Services and Chief Officer for Communities, Public Health, Environment and Prosperity (CS/17/32) on approval for carrying out options appraisals for the provision of the 0-19 Public Health Nursing, Portage, Rehabilitation Officers for Visually Impaired Children (ROVICs) and Residential Short Breaks services from April 2019 onwards and for the re-commissioning of Occupational Therapy (OT) and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) from April 2019.

The Council was one of five partners in a commissioning partnership for the provision of Integrated Children’s Services (ICS) provided by Virgin Care Ltd and the current five-year contract comes to an end on 31st March 2018. Cabinet, on 8^th March 2017, considered a range of options relating to the position of Public Health Nursing and resolved that approval be given to enter into a 12-month interim contract (with partners) to allow for a full procurement for a longer term contract with a contract start date of 1st April 2019.

In relation to the procurement of Integrated Children’s Social Care services, Cabinet resolved on 8th March 2017 that the Council would commission jointly with the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG’s), Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and community health and care services for children with additional needs: with delivery monitored through the Children, Young People and Families Alliance, jointly funded through a pooled budget for the period of one year 2018/19 via a Section 75. Also, that a one year contract for 2018/19 be awarded to Virgin Care Ltd. As the Council had been working with the CCG’s to determine a strategy to shape service delivery, with a view to tenders for services being invited during 2018 for a longer term contract(s) from 2019 onwards, a decision was now required for carrying out options appraisals for the provision of the 0-19 Public Health Nursing, Portage, ROVICs and Residential Short Breaks services from April 2019 onwards and for the re-commissioning of OT and CAMHS from April 2019.

The report outlined the scope of the public health nursing service, linked to the need for Children to achieve the best start in life as well as the ambitions of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, as well as the individual proposals for Portage, ROVIC’s, residential short breaks and occupational therapy.

The Chief Officer’s report referred to the Impact Assessments undertaken in relation to the proposals outlined in the report.

With regard to the Public Health Nursing Service, the service would continue to work to the localised National Specification in 2018/19 which had a positive impact on tackling health inequalities as the fundamental principle of what it sought to address, highlighting that if the proposed Options Appraisal and Consultation led to changes in the localised National Specification for 2019 onwards, it would be necessary to undertake further Impact Assessments to identify and manage any risks that might arise. In summary, the assessment highlighted that the proposed removal from the CCG led re-procurement process and Options Appraisal for future delivery options should not of itself have any unmanageable negative impact on any protected characteristics, but would enable any opportunities to advance equality to be explored.

It was further noted that any impacts or risks of impact will be considered and monitored by an appropriately constituted Programme Board.

The Assessment in relation to Devon Integrated Children’s Services, highlighted that Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) intended to put in place a contract for one year until March 2019. Based on engagement feedback, strategic and legislative changes and changes across the commissioning landscape it was important to ensure delivery of services for children and families was as strong as it could be, therefore highlighting the options appraisal and reasons for the proposed recommendations. The Impact Assessment did not highlight any negative impacts that could not be managed, for example, the potential disruption to continuity of care for children, but that better outcomes were anticipated with the better integration across services between social care, health and education. The assessment stressed that a full EIA process would be undertaken for the future plans for Portage, ROVIC’s and Short Breaks as part of any future changes following consultation and options appraisal. Furthermore, the OT and CAMHS Services would be further Impact Assessed in line with the NHS processes through the procurement process and that impact further monitored through commissioning strategies and contract/ service performance monitoring.

The Chief Officer’s now commended to the Cabinet the proposals and recommendations set out in full in report (CS/17/32).

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, environmental impacts, risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Chief Officer’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

It was MOVED by Councillor Croad, SECONDED by Councillor McInnes; and

RESOLVED that

(a) the undertaking of option appraisals for the provision of the 0-19 Public Health Nursing, Portage and ROVICs services from April 2019 onwards be approved;

(b) the undertaking of work for the consideration of Devon County Council becoming the Lead Commissioner for the Residential Short Breaks service and, if the Council becomes the Lead Commissioner, for the undertaking of an options appraisal for the provision of the Residential Short Breaks from April 2019 onwards, also be approved;

(c) future decision making powers pertinent to the commissioning and / or provision of Portage, ROVICs and Residential Short Breaks services, which are currently covered under the existing contract, be delegated to the Chief Officer for Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Schools; and

(d) the joint commissioning of Occupational Therapy (OT) and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) as part of the Community Health and Care Services with NEW Devon CCG acting as lead commissioner for a new contract to start from April 2019, be approved.