Decision Maker: Corporate Director of Health and Adult Services
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: Yes
To seek approval to extend the current
contract term for a further two years and to recommend a variation
to the contract value.
It has been agreed to extend the Countywide
Dementia Support and Advice Service contract for a period of 24
months with additional funding of £60,000 per annum
Continuation of the existing contract gives
stability to the market, enabling a specialist service to work in
an integrated way across the health and care sector.
The service is critical for the delivery of the North Yorkshire
Dementia Strategy “Bring Me Sunshine – Living Well with
Dementia in North Yorkshire” and achieving improved health
and social care outcomes for individuals, providing a person
centred, proactive support and advice service to any resident of
North Yorkshire regardless of age, who have a formal diagnosis of
dementia, or who is suspected to be living with dementia, as well
as supporting their carers, family members and loved ones.
Service demand is far outstripping supply, particularly following
on from the Covid-19 pandemic, with more complex referrals from
individuals living with dementia or those who care for them. The
waiting list in achieving a formal diagnosis is at an all-time high
which also contributes to higher levels of activity for this
service
The provider works with NHS England and other locality health
colleagues to enable earlier diagnosis,
particularly for those with early onset dementia, who may be lost
within the system as they move into older people’s
services.
Not to continue with the current contract
would result in the inability to meet our strategic requirements as
outlined in the “Bring Me Sunshine – Living well with
Dementia in North Yorkshire” Strategy.
Due to the nature and specialism of the service providers with
expertise in this field within the market are limited and this
could lead to a failed procurement exercise. Whilst the current
contract is working so successfully and continues to provide value
for money there is no evidence to suggest that a new procurement
would be beneficial.
A new procurement would also require the current provider to outlay
unnecessary resources and funding to submit a tender which would
detract from the services delivered.
Publication date: 18/01/2023
Date of decision: 13/01/2023
Effective from: 24/01/2023