Provision of a Section 33 Framework & Section 33 Agreements in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot & Bridgend

Descriptions

Welsh Government has brought forward a clear policy for integration of health and social care, particularly for frail older people, in the form of ‘A framework for delivering integrated health and social care for older people with complex needs’. The aim of the framework is to ensure partners integrate services to focus towards prevention and early intervention, to reduce, or delay, people becoming frail or developing complex needs. Each health and social care partnership in Wales needed to respond to the framework through the development of a local statement of intent for integration by March 2014.The Western Bay Health & Social Care (WBHSC) Programme was formed two years ago by Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University (ABMU) Health Board and the three Local Authorities, City and County of Swansea, Bridgend County Borough Council and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.The Programme was established to lead collaboration and integration across children, older people, mental health and learning disability services. Significant progress towards this goal has already been made, and significantly the 4 organisations have agreed to work together to progress the development of full integration of care for older people. The Western Bay Partners have committed to development of an overarching enabling framework for the Western Bay programme, which details the process for which individual Section 33 agreements will be established between ABMU Health Board, City and County of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot County Council and Bridgend County Borough Council.The Western Bay Community Service Project has had agreement to establish an arrangement to pool resources with partners, subject to formal agreement and in accordance with Section 33 of the National Health Service (Wales) Act 2006. As a result, external support is needed to develop such an agreement and establish the necessary governance framework during 2014-15 for this to be in place by April 2015.Aligned to the overarching enabling framework referred to above, work with each local partnership in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend to establish their Section 33 Agreements with ABMU Health Board for intermediate tier services.In light of the April 2015 deadline, the successful applicant will need to have devised an ambitious but realistic timeline for the above process that ensures the achievement of the April deadline.As part of the development of the section 33, ensure a comprehensive engagement process is carried out to ensure ownership across all partner organisations, including:developing a common language and a common objective for integrationdeveloping ways to resolve both process and behavioural issuesensure an outcomes focused approach is adoptedTo develop a suite of supporting templates for agreements, documents and schedules to underpin the overarching framework. In so doing the contractor will build upon work already undertaken for existing s33 agreements (ie integraed equipment services) and work with expert legal, financial and technical advisors employed by and commissioned by the partners. These templates will include:Legal considerationsLeadership and accountabilityAgreed aims and outcomesContributions to be made by each partnerA pooled fund agreement and the terms of the pooled arrangementsTechnical issues, i.e. VAT, finance and accounting, complaints, eligibility criteria, direct payments, CHC, etc. building upon precedents set and agreed (for example with HMRC( for previous s33 agreements.Performance management and monitoringAssisting in setting out the scope services to be included in the pooled funding arrangementGovernance framework for monitoring delivery and progressA risk assessment and management planDuration and reviewAn option appraisal carried out to consider the governance arrangements for the pooled fund and assisting in drawing up recommendations about the appropriate governance arrangements.Develop a communications plan for informing and engaging all relevant staff, stakeholders (including Council Members) and the publicExpert advisors are expected to bring strong facilitative skills to the work required to develop the enabling section 33 agreement and the detailed community services schedule. Advisors need to demonstrate extensive experience and have a proven track record of delivering formal partnership agreements within a complex multi-agency environment. Evidence of s33 agreements which have subsequently delivered transformational change should be provided. Advisors should have extensive experience of operating with Chief Executives, Directors of Finance and Directors of Social Services and Members who will be the key audience for this work. Submissions need to make clear the skills and experience of the person who will be responsible for delivering the work and a single named individual should be available at all times and be in a position to attend meetings in South Wales when required. Advisors need to have capacity to deliver this work to the following milestones:Development of an enabling framework and discussion agreement on the framework by November 2014Options for governance arrangements to be considered by November 2014Schedules and governance arrangements to be agreed in outline form by January 2015, and finalised by April 2015 in conjunction with accompanying legal documentation.The commencement date for the contract is 8th September 2014.Further details of the project are contained in Request for Quotation which can be obtained by contacting Miss Kate James, Corporate Procurement by email: k.james2@npt.gov.uk