AC0728 Specialist Commissioning Provider Alliance

Wiltshire Council is seeking to establish a Good Lives Alliance from which the Council and NHS Wiltshire can purchase Specialist Services for people with a learning disability or a mental health illness; Supported Living and Residential and Nursing Care.

The Good Lives Alliance will be created by establishing a Pseudo Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) to procure these services which fall within the light-touch regime (LTR - PCR 2015 Regulations 74-77). The Pseudo DPS will in many respects look and feel like a DPS set up under PCR 2015 Regulation 34, but the flexibility of the LTR will apply. None of the formal procedural rules have any direct application including the requirements of Regulation 34. Wiltshire Council makes this distinction to avoid implying that it will follow, or be bound by, the full procurement regime under PCR 2015 for this procurement.

The service is for those individuals living within the boundaries of Wiltshire Council (not Swindon) who are eligible to receive support as determined following a Care Act 2014 assessment, NHS funding eligibility assessment and younger people in transition from the age of 16 following a Children & families Act assessment.

The Alliance will encompass support services for adults of working age who may present with mental health needs, learning disability (with or without dementia), autistic spectrum condition, physical or sensory needs, social, emotional and behavioural needs, speech, language and communication needs. This may cover young adults (16-25). Providers may be commissioned to provide services that support individuals in a family environment. This is especially important for avoiding the "transitions cliff edge" (18-25 years) for those transferring from children's services to adult services.

It is the intention of the Council for the Good Lives Alliance to remain open to new Providers for a 4-year period, with an anticipated service commencement date of the 2nd September 2019.

The Council anticipates that it will, over time, extend the Pseudo DPS to procure further categories of specialist services. These further services may include Short breaks, Extra Care, Supported Housing with or without accommodation and a Parent enabling service