Issue - meetings

Officer: Robert Henderson

Key decision: Yes

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

RESOLVED: To

1.    Approve the award of a Section 75 Agreement in accordance with Regulation 28.4(c) of the Council’s Contracts and Tenders Regulations for Public Health Nursing to Croydon Health Services NHS Trust (CHS) for a contract term of 3 years commencing 1 April 2020 plus 2 + 2 years extension periods for a maximum contract value of £40,999,000 (includes the extension periods); and

2.    Note that the Director of Commissioning and Procurement has approved the waiver under Regulation 19 of the Councils Tenders and Contracts Regulations to allow the direct award without prior submission of a procurement strategy of these services to CHS for reasons set out in the report.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Learning informed Members that the proposed contract was being awarded in accordance with the Contract and Tenders Regulations and was scheduled to run for a maximum period of seven years. The proposed contract was made up of three parts; health visiting, the family nurse partnership and school nursing, and was being funded through the Public Health budget. The Cabinet Member noted that in Croydon an average of £150 per head was spent compared to an average £250 per head due to funding restrictions.

By merging the three contracts into one contract from March 2020, Cabinet were informed that economies of scale could be achieved which would provide a more efficient service, whilst delivering the same programmes. By delivering the service through the One Croydon Alliance it ensured there was a coordinated approach to early help. The service, it was noted, was vital and supported the early help initiative, and as such supported the most vulnerable residents.

The Leader noted that the contract was a practical outcome of the devolution and partnership working the council had undertaken by commissioning Croydon University Hospital to deliver all three services under one contract.

Members supported the piece of work and the approach of working through the One Croydon Alliance as it was noted that the contract would deliver good outcomes, particularly for vulnerable residents. It was proposed that the Health & Wellbeing Board could review the work going forward to ensure high quality delivery of the contract. The Cabinet Member welcomed the support of the Board in promoting the work of public health nursing.

Members further noted the important work health workers undertook in terms of promoting immunisation of children and that this work could be supported by the locality work of the council by overcoming the misinformation in terms of immunisation.

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

RESOLVED: To

1.     Approve the award of a Section 75 Agreement in accordance with Regulation 28.4(c) of the Council’s Contracts and Tenders Regulations for Public Health Nursing to Croydon Health Services NHS Trust (CHS) for a contract term of 3 years commencing 1 April 2020 plus 2 + 2 years extension periods for a maximum contract value of £40,999,000 (includes the extension periods); and

2.     Note that the Director of Commissioning and Procurement has approved the waiver under Regulation 19 of the Councils Tenders and Contracts Regulations to allow the direct award without prior submission of a procurement strategy of these services to CHS for reasons set out in the report.