Information for providers

Welcome to the providers webpage where you will be able to access useful information, links and resources for providers of adult social care services.

A key support to providers will be the publishing later this year of the Market Position Statement.  This document is aimed at existing and potential providers of adult social care and support and will offer an overview of current services alongside a steer on evidence-based future demand and resulting market opportunities.  The Statement is part of a dialogue with providers about ensuring the borough’s social care market offers innovative and appropriate services for residents. 

Personalisation

Personalisation is the process of enabling people to be more in control of the services they receive.  Individuals who access care and support services, that is to say, “customers”, are the future commissioners of provider services. Customers may have their own budget, or a budget managed on their behalf, and choose to “buy into” the services that they feel will best meet their needs and offer the best value for money. 

This will mean that customers, whether funded by Adults, Health & Well-being or using their own money, will have more choice and control over their support. 

For providers, this will mean some challenges in this changing market.  Some of these may include: 

·       Different priorities and a change in commissioning intentions;

·       a move away from large block contracts;

·       changing customer expectations;

·       competition in an emerging market environment; and

·       developing  market presence. 

The personalisation agenda is well under way in Tower Hamlets.  Providers will want to continue to develop their business to fit these new ways of delivering services.  They can do this by looking at: 

·       Increasing customers’ involvement in development, delivery, monitoring and reviewing of services

·       Developing a range of service models for people to choose from

·       Tailoring support to meet individual needs

·       Developing outcomes led care and support services

·       Developing increased quality assurance and performance monitoring systems and processes

·       Finding new collaborative ways of working & developing new partnerships

·       Marketing their services

·       Moving away from the way services are funded to how they are delivered

·       Identifying potential market opportunities (advocacy/ support planning/ brokerage/ personal assistants/ training/prevention)

·       Looking at actual costing/pricing of services

Accessing social care services in Tower Hamlets

Providers may find it useful to understand how people can access social care services and advice through the council. 

The council has developed a new Customer Journey which came into being at the end of August 2011. The Customer Journey describes the process and pathways by which people access and receive support through Adult Social Care. As a result of this new journey, services have reorganised and introduced new ways of working to make social care more personalised to the individuals using it.

Now Adult Social Care has three main services: First Response, Reablement and Longer Term Support.

• First Response is the first point of contact for people, either in the community or in hospital, wishing to get information relating to social care and community services. The First Response service seeks to resolve the majority of people's concerns at first contact through information/advice giving and speedy provision for simple levels of support.  People who need additional support will be referred onto the Reablement Service in order to become involved in a programme of support that will aim to increase their independence in order 
• The Reablement service will work with people who need ongoing support to remain safe at home and continue to participate in their community, work and life.  The Reablement Service will determine, with the person, what those ongoing needs are. For those needs that are eligible for ongoing support, Reablement will progress the person to the Longer Term Support Services.
• Longer Term Support Services - Occupational Therapy and Social Work, will assist the person to explore available support options to meet those eligible needs. These services will work with the person, or other support people or agencies on behalf of the person, to produce a support plan that describes the outcomes that are important and the support that the person will use to achieve them. People can take a variety of budget options, including a cash personal budget.  They can design support solutions that will work for them in order to achieve those outcomes. In addition, longer term options around adapting the person's environment can be explored in order to make their home and the community more accessible to them.

Market position statement

This document is currently being drafted.  When published, it will be aimed at existing and potential providers of adult social care and support to enable them to work with the Council to ensure the borough’s social care market matches the services needed and desired by local residents. 

The Market Position Statement will provide an overview of the current services offered to residents and the Council’s vision for how services might respond further to the personalisation of adult social care and support. There will be information on future market opportunities and key statistics (many taken from the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment) about the borough to enable you to build on your own knowledge of local needs to predict local demand and develop new activities and services. 

The Statement is part of a continuing dialogue with providers and will be reviewed and refreshed annually. 

Olympic Games

The Olympic Games will result in some challenges for social care providers operating in Tower Hamlets.  There will be at least two months of disruption.  For example, large delays on public transport systems, up to 30% potential staff absences, and the Olympic Highway which will cut across the borough, restricting traffic (including pedestrian) flows.  Providers whose services involve staff or service users making multiple journeys will be particularly affected.  As providers of services which are of vital importance to the residents of Tower Hamlets, organisations should be preparing business continuity plans taking into account these considerations.  Please see the presentations under Pan-Provider meetings for further information.  The Council will be undertaking further in-depth work with providers around the Olympics and contingency planning. 

Strategies

Please see the Tower Hamlets strategies page for a list of current strategies. 

Pan-provider meetings

These purpose of these meetings is to inform providers about key issues which affect all or most adult social care providers in the borough.  They also offer a forum for consultations and an opportunity for providers to make queries to high-level Council officers.  Meetings are approximately quarterly and take place at various locations around the borough.  In the run up to the Olympics, meetings will take place every two months. 

The next provider forum will take place on Tuesday June 26th, 9:30 am until 12 noon at: St. Matthias Community Centre, 113 Poplar High Street, E14 0AE.  Please note the entrance to the building is from Woodstock Terrace.   All adult social care providers are encouraged to attend, please email bushura.begum@towerhamlets.gov.uk to RSVP. 

March 19th 2012 Pan-Provider forum

Topics: Adult Social Care Strategies, Olympics Contingency Planning

Meeting documents: Adult Social Care Strategies Presentation, Olympics Contingency Planning Presentation, Response to queries raised at the meeting

January 23^rd 2012 Pan-Provider forum

Topics: Olympics, Skills for Care NVQ Replacement Modules

Meeting documents: Olympics Presentation, Olympics Workshop Notes, Skills for Care QCF Presentation, Skills for Care Tower Hamlets QCF Presentation, Information and Support from Skills for Care, Update response to queries raised at the meeting

October 3^rd 2011 Pan-Provider forum

Topics:  Customer Journey, Olympics Contingency Planning, Communications

Meeting documents:  Customer Journey Presentation, Customer Journey Structure Charts, Adult Social Care Senior Staff Contact List, Olympics Presentation, Map of Olympic Route Network, Example Communications Template, Response to queries raised at the meeting

Please email orenda.obrien-davis@towerhamlets to ensure your organisation is on the invitation list for these meetings. 

Events & training opportunities

Any events and training opportunities will be posted here as they arise. 

Useful information

Structure Chart of Commissioning & Strategy Team and Access to Resources Team (Adults, Health & Well-being directorate)

Market Development Presentation from 20th June 2011 Pan-Provider Forum

Links

Safeguarding Adults - links to the Tower Hamlets Council safeguarding adults at risk of abuse page. 

Procurement - the Council's information page on procurement, including tender opportunities, procurement strategy, e-procurement system and more. 

JSNA - data used to to assess the needs of the Tower Hamlets population and determine priorities for commissioning services.

Factsheets - 21 "factsheets" that explain the views and experiences of people who use social care on a variety of topics.  

Community Catalogue - directory of adult social care services and associated amenities such as local activities.  The Community Catalogue is an interim directory which is due to be replaced by a much more functional directory. 

Rough Guide to Personalisation - guide to personalisation from the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).

Think Local, Act Personal - government website with tools to support providers and commissioners to learn from innovative practice in commissioning and delivering personalised services. 

Got a question? Just ask!

For futher information or to report a broken link please contact Orenda O'Brien Davis, Market Infrastructure Officer, orenda.obrien-davis@towerhamlets.gov.uk