Officer Decisions

The budget for CP788-12 – Healthwatch Devon has been reduced. Community Council of Devon, trading as: Devon Communities Together (CCD/DCT), as the provider of contract and in line with the cost strategy contained in the contract have provided a report which details the impact the reduction in budget will have on service delivery.

To extend the contract for one year from 1^st April 2016 until 31^st March 2017 in line with the original provision of the contract and to accept the proposals contained within the report from CCD/DCT.

 

At a meeting of the Joint Commissioning Co-ordination Group on 16^th September 2015 the funding partners decide that the budget for Healthwatch Devon would be set at £720k for 2016-17. This includes a reduction of £169.75K for the local engagement element of the contract. Devon County Council and NEW Devon CCG will still be investing in the local engagement element of the contract for 2016-17. South Devon and Torbay CCG will not be investing in the contract and hence they will not commission engagement services via this contract as of 1^st April 2016.

The review of the Healthwatch Devon contract was commissioned by and has reported to the Joint Commissioning Co-ordination Group. The review looked at the local engagement activity of Healthwatch Devon, taking place and considered how effective engagement could be maintained with the full range of users of health and social care services, the wider general public and with people who have protected characteristics covered by the Equality Act 2010 moving into year 4 of the contract

The joint review of the contract highlighted the needs to revise the current consultation and local engagement arrangements to make the best use of the scarce resources and maximise their flexibility and to enable Healthwatch Devon and Devon Communities Together to fulfil their tender submission under their contact as a prelude for recommissioning the statutory Healthwatch functions and engagement functions covered by the contract for 2017-18.

3 options were presented for consideration

Option 1

A one year extension of the Healthwatch contract with a fixed budget of 468K statutory funding plus 152K local engagement funding

 

Option 2

A one year extension of the Healthwatch contract with a fixed budget of 468K statutory funding plus a fixed cost ( to be negotiated with HWD ) to cover the gateway function only

 

Option 3

A one year extension of the statutory HWD contract with a fixed budget of 468K and no local engagement element

None

Name: Tim Golby Position: Head of Social care Commissioning Email: tim.golby@devon.gov.uk Tel: 01392 383000

12 November 2015