That:

a)    The period of validity of the existing DPS for the Council’s nursing and residential care homes is extended until 23^rd February 2029; and

b)    Authority is delegated to the Director for Community and Wellbeing to take all operational decisions to implement recommendation (a) and to terminate the DPS in accordance with its terms on 12 months’ notice when new arrangements to deliver nursing and residential care are in place

1.              Alternative Option 1 – Do Nothing

If the Council were to do nothing, the period of validity will expire after 5^th September 2026. This is not an option as the Council has a statutory responsibility for provision of existing and new placements in line with the Care Act 2014 and Section 5.

2.              Alternative Option 2 – Re-commission purchasing of adult care home provision

This would see the Council re-commission purchasing of adult care home provision by 5^th September 2026. The risks identified with this approach include:

a.     Timeframe for re-commissioning is limited and would be heavily driven by time as opposed to quality.

b.     Significant impact to the commissioning resource, where there is critical delivery required across transformation and savings workstreams.

c.     Owing to a lack of familiarity with varied / new procurement options open to the Council following changes implemented by the Procurement Act 2023 there is additional uncertainty which would make completing an exercise of this scale within a short time frame higher risk.

d.     Procurement options appraisals work undertaken thus far indicates the most appropriate ‘procurement vehicle’ may not be aligned to current market conditions in Herefordshire.