“Commissioning – A Provider’s Prospective” (Helena Evans / Lesley Bentley) Home Improvement Agency ‘Staying Put’ Scheme

What is a Home Improvement Agency Helps older people, disabled people and those on low incomes to repair, improve or adapt their homes to enable them to remain living there in greater comfort, safety, security, and with an improved quality of life & independence Helps older people, disabled people and those on low incomes to repair, improve or adapt their homes to enable them to remain living there in greater comfort, safety, security, and with an improved quality of life & independence

How do we do this? Visiting every client referred to the service Visiting every client referred to the service Conducting an “holistic” assessment of the client’s needs & aspirations Conducting an “holistic” assessment of the client’s needs & aspirations Developing a comprehensive case/support plan Developing a comprehensive case/support plan Dealing directly with issues on behalf of the client or signposting to other appropriate services Dealing directly with issues on behalf of the client or signposting to other appropriate services Working with other key partners such as Social Services, PCTs, LAs, contractors etc on behalf of the client Working with other key partners such as Social Services, PCTs, LAs, contractors etc on behalf of the client

Additional Services Handyperson Handyperson Welfare Benefit Advice Welfare Benefit Advice Gardening and Decorating Service Gardening and Decorating Service Hospital Discharge Scheme Hospital Discharge Scheme Home Safety Scheme Home Safety Scheme

Examples of HIA Services Commissioned Core work (Home Renovation Grants, Aids & Adapts, DFGs, accessing grants on behalf of clients) – commissioned by LA, SS, PCT, SP, RSL Core work (Home Renovation Grants, Aids & Adapts, DFGs, accessing grants on behalf of clients) – commissioned by LA, SS, PCT, SP, RSL Welfare Advice – commissioned by DWP Welfare Advice – commissioned by DWP Handyperson service – commissioned by SS, PCT, FS, CSP, National Lottery, Lloyds/TSB Foundation to name a few… Handyperson service – commissioned by SS, PCT, FS, CSP, National Lottery, Lloyds/TSB Foundation to name a few… Other Services include- Falls Prevention Schemes, Warm and Safe, Sure Start, Hospital Discharge –all key to achieving both Local & National strategic requirements Other Services include- Falls Prevention Schemes, Warm and Safe, Sure Start, Hospital Discharge –all key to achieving both Local & National strategic requirements

Partnership Working Social Services – helping to deliver Disabled Facilities Grants Social Services – helping to deliver Disabled Facilities Grants Disability Service Teams – fitting small aids and adaptations Disability Service Teams – fitting small aids and adaptations Local Authorities – helping to deliver various grant programmes Local Authorities – helping to deliver various grant programmes Police – providing security measures and an immediate response to break in’s etc Police – providing security measures and an immediate response to break in’s etc Fire Service – fitting smoke alarms and carrying out safety checks Fire Service – fitting smoke alarms and carrying out safety checks Sure Start – fitting stair rails and fire guards Sure Start – fitting stair rails and fire guards Community Safety Partnerships – security work Community Safety Partnerships – security work PCT – falls prevention, hospital discharge PCT – falls prevention, hospital discharge DWP – welfare advice/benefit uptake and awareness particularly in rural isolation DWP – welfare advice/benefit uptake and awareness particularly in rural isolation Voluntary Sector – Age Concern, Beat the Cold etc Voluntary Sector – Age Concern, Beat the Cold etc

Handyperson Service Why is there a need for this service? Why is there a need for this service? provides a low level repair service for older people irrespective of tenure provides a low level repair service for older people irrespective of tenure in times of emergency provides a rapid response (e.g. home security measures/ hospital discharge work) in times of emergency provides a rapid response (e.g. home security measures/ hospital discharge work) is used by many other organisations to meet their Local and National strategic requirements is used by many other organisations to meet their Local and National strategic requirements Organisations & associated services commissioned include Age Concern, Police, Health Authority, Fire Service, Falls Prevention Programmes, Renew- Regeneration work, delayed hospital discharge… Organisations & associated services commissioned include Age Concern, Police, Health Authority, Fire Service, Falls Prevention Programmes, Renew- Regeneration work, delayed hospital discharge…

HIA & Handyperson Service Commissioning Issues Commissioning Issues always short term/ad-hoc funding –difficult to plan for longer term strategic vision always short term/ad-hoc funding –difficult to plan for longer term strategic vision difficulty in attracting good quality staff for short periods & issues re: recruitment timescales (CRB checks) difficulty in attracting good quality staff for short periods & issues re: recruitment timescales (CRB checks) constant bids have to be put in for small amounts of funding constant bids have to be put in for small amounts of funding problems re: administrative bureaucracy with differing timescales/performance monitoring requirements problems re: administrative bureaucracy with differing timescales/performance monitoring requirements wider impact on whole range of Organisations/ “hard to reach” clients if the service closes/ capacity reduces wider impact on whole range of Organisations/ “hard to reach” clients if the service closes/ capacity reduces inflexible contracts/service level agreements inflexible contracts/service level agreements tight service operational margins –limits development tight service operational margins –limits development

HIA & Handyperson Service Improving Future Commissioning Improving Future Commissioning Handy Person Service- needs to be redefined by Supporting People as a core service and all actual related costs included (not just administration) Handy Person Service- needs to be redefined by Supporting People as a core service and all actual related costs included (not just administration) longer term funding to give confidence to invest & develop services longer term funding to give confidence to invest & develop services greater involvement of providers in earlier stages of key strategic design & vision planning greater involvement of providers in earlier stages of key strategic design & vision planning contract flexibility (especially if several sources of funding/ commissioning agents involved) contract flexibility (especially if several sources of funding/ commissioning agents involved) more joined up commissioning practices to reduce bureaucracy and agree service priorities / performance indicators more joined up commissioning practices to reduce bureaucracy and agree service priorities / performance indicators more service user involvement and provider expertise to feed into the process more service user involvement and provider expertise to feed into the process more opportunities to share best practice / benchmarking more opportunities to share best practice / benchmarking preventative commissioning not reactive – good example POPPS preventative commissioning not reactive – good example POPPS