To approve the re-commissioning of a reactive call monitoring service, incorporating technology enabled living (TELS) reactive call monitoring, adult social care out of hours (OOH) and the lone working service. These services are currently provided separately and combining them will provide a simplified contract arrangements and potential efficiencies and quality improvements in service delivery. It is proposed that a contract is awarded for two years, with options to extend for two further years.

That:

a)    The commissioning of a reactive call monitoring service comprising TELS call monitoring, out of hours and lone working services, via a competitive tender process is approved, to a maximum total value of £340k, for a maximum period of four years; and

b)    The assistant director for all age commissioning, is authorised to take the operational decisions required to award a contract, on completion of a satisfactory and compliant tender process and to ensure its implementation.

1.    Not to continue the services. This option is not recommended as it would leave around 2,450 vulnerable people without potentially vital support provided by the services. The call monitoring is an essential tool for those residents needing additional support to live independently. In addition there would be no safe or effective management of emergency and out of hours calls, which would prevent the appropriate meeting of statutory obligations around assessments, including under the Mental Health Act 2007 by approved mental health professionals (AMHPs)

2.    Directly award a new contract to the current providers to continue to deliver the services for a further period of two years. This option is not recommended as the call monitoring service has not been tendered competitively since 2013, which raises significant risk of a procurement challenge. The reactive call receiving market is competitive. In practice the proposed decision can be completed within the time available, so that continuation of existing contracts would be unnecessary.