Memorandum from Hampshire Supporting People
County Commissioning Group (CCG) (SPP 71)
SUMMARY
— Since 2003 the Supporting People
programme has established itself as an exemplar in many fields.
— Despite a reducing budget Hampshire Sp
ahs developed excellent partnership working including with the
Third Sector and service users.
— We believe that the developing Local
Area Agreement provides further opportunities to continue with
this work and widen its remit.
— We are concerned at any moves which will
lead to the lowering of the profile or a diminution in the role
of housing support.
— In the current economic circumstances
we believe it is essential that stability of funding is provided
for all administering authorities.
BACKGROUND
1. With the active engagement and commitment
of all stakeholders; the County Council, the 11 district
and borough councils, Hampshire Probation, and Hampshire NHS,
service users, and third sector providers the Supporting People
partnership has successfully delivered a diverse range of services
to vulnerable individuals across Hampshire. With a current grant
allocation of £31.009 million (09/10) it commissions
services that support over 14,000 individuals to maintain
and develop their independence.
2. The Hampshire Supporting People programme
was the only SP programme operating in a two tier authority to
be rated as delivering an "Excellent service with Excellent
prospects for Improvement" by the Audit Commission.
3. Despite a reduction in real terms in
government funding of 20% (12% in cash terms) since initial allocation
in 2003, service capacity and service quality has improved.
4. Over the last three years alone, by introducing
a process of strategic reviews, the overall capacity of services
has been increased by 6.9% whilst funding has been reduced in
cash terms by 7.2%.
DELIVERY ON
THE OBJECTIVES
SET IN
"INDEPENDENCE AND
OPPORTUNITY: OUR
STRATEGY FOR
SUPPORTING PEOPLE"
Keeping people that need services at the heart
of the programme
5. In Hampshire service users are involved
at all levels of the programme; at an individual level through
involvement in their support plans, at a service level through
individual service providers involvement forum, and at a strategic
level through the SP Service User Reference Forum (SURF) and by
having a seat on the County Core Group (The Sp Commissioning Body).
On an ongoing basis service users are involved in all aspects
of the development of the programme including being full members
of all tendering panels.
6. Hampshire SP have also established a
Service User Seal of Excellence (SUSE) under which service users
are trained and supported to undertake inspections of individual
services, reporting on them from a service user perspective.
7. The introduction of the SP outcomes framework,
has been a welcome development that has provided a wealth of data,
which when combined with local performance data has both informed
local strategic commissioning decisions and has been publicised
more widely to assist service users in making informed choices
when choosing a service.
8. Further information to inform strategic
commissioning decisions and ensure that resources are targeted
in areas of greatest need is obtained from a network of supported
housing panels that have been developed in Hampshire.
9. With all authorities in the south east
suffering from reducing SP grants meeting the needs of more mobile
groups, and those for whom there is not a critical mass within
one authority has proved more of a challenge. With funding continuing
to be reduced at a local level, and no new money available nationally
(or regionally) there are concerns that the needs of these clients
will not be fully addressed at the appropriate geographical level.
Enhancing partnership with the Third Sector
10. Hampshire SP have a strong commitment
to working with the Third Sector. ROCC, a local third sector umbrella
group is funded by SP to organise and facilitate local, district
based inclusive forum to enable the views of the third sector
to be represented within SP. As representatives of the Third Sector,
ROCC sit on all local SP commissioning bodies (District Core Groups)
and on the County Commissioning Body (the CCG). Additionally ROCC
sit on all tender panels to ensure impartiality, and are also
part of interview panels for staff recruitment.
11. Since the inception of SP Hampshire
have always issued three year contracts to all SP providers, and
have paid an inflation uplift in all years apart from 2004. This
has been achieved by developing three year financial strategies,
and making use of the ability to carry forward planned under spends
from one year to the next. Uncertainty regarding the levels of
future funding, and the forward period for which funding will
be announced, may lead to such practices being reviewed. Whilst
it is recognised that they have offered great stability to the
third sector, this has to be balanced by being affordable in the
long term by the authority, and being seen to be an acceptable
risk.
12. Partnership with the third sector has
been a cornerstone of the procurement approach adopted. Providers
of good services (as assessed against set criteria) are rewarded
with the award of new three year contracts, whilst any failing
services, and all new services are competitively tendered for.
In developing a competitive tender process, consideration has
been given to minimising the impact on third sector organisations,
and ongoing support offered to assist with the development of
smaller providers to ensure the maintenance of diversity of provision.
13. Evidence gathered from the re-commissioning
of continuing services and the tendering for new services, is
that value for money can best be achieved by a combination of
both approaches. Hampshire SP have listened to the views of stakeholders
and service users, and has aimed to maintain diversity of service
provision and choice for service users, by offering locally based
contracts. There is no evidence that such an approach has had
any negative impact on value for money.
Delivering in the new local government landscape
14. Hampshire SP have taken the opportunity
of the development of the Local Area Agreement to widen the scope
of services that it funds, and the objectives that these services
meet.
15. We welcome the inclusion of NI 141 and
NI 142 within the new national indicator set for local authorities,
and NI142 has been included as one of the Hampshire LAA targets.
16. In recognition of this widening of the
context in which SP now works, from 1 April 2009 all
SP contracts for Older Persons services are outcome focussed.
A defined list of eligible tasks has been dropped from these contracts,
being replaced for each service with a clear objectives they are
expected to deliver on, including a numeric improvement target
in respect of their performance against NI 142.
17. Work is ongoing with providers of all
services to identify the contribution that they make to the wider
preventative agenda, and also which of the National Indicators,
other than NI141 & NI142 there service can contribute
to the achievement of and how they can evidence and demonstrate
this.
18. We see a clear role for SP in the development
of the LAA with its emphasis on partnership working and commissioning
to meet identified need, both in terms of the breadth of services
that SP delivers, and also in the local processes that SP has
developed.
19. In particular the performance and quality
monitoring frameworks developed by the CLG within the SP programme,
provide a clear basis that can be adapted for use across a wider
range of services within the LAA.
20. Within "Independence and Opportunity:
Our strategy for Supporting People" CLG considered the issue
of placing the provision of SP services on a statutory basis,
concluding that "we do not at this stage , consider it
appropriate to introduce new legislation around housing support"
para 4.37). Given the current economic climate, and the impact
that this is having on increasing numbers of individuals on maintaining
their housing and independence we consider that the time may be
right for this issue to be considered again.
21. Whilst we recognise that the overall
level of funding available to SP nationally are matters to be
determined by the Comprehensive Spending Review, we are concerned
at the way in which CLG have chosen to allocate this funding to
authorities.
22. We accept, and fully support the argument
that additional resources should be allocated to authorities on
the basis of identified need. We do however have serious concerns
as to the impact on existing well established and needed services
if such an approach to the distribution of funds is continued
with regard to exiting allocations.
23. In the light of the moves to un-ring
fence SP funding and include it within the Area Based Grant, we
consider that there is no logic or rationale for continuing to
apply the SP distribution formula, and would suggest that its
application be suspended forthwith.
Increasing efficiency and reducing bureaucracy
24. We believe that nationally, and in Hampshire,
SP has been at the forefront in identifying ways of delivering
services more efficiently, and in reducing the bureaucratic burden
on providers, whilst at the same time ensuring the safeguarding
of vulnerable individuals, and maintaining effective contract
monitoring.
25. Nationally the Value Improvement
Programme provided a clear focus for innovation and the dissemination
of good practice. We were disappointed that this was not developed
further by repeating the exercise.
26. Locally in Hampshire we have continue
to encourage the development of innovative services, and have
established a small "Innovation & Good Practice Fund"
to assist this process. The fund is open to application from providers
for funds to develop new ideas, removing the fear of contractual
failure. We would suggest that this is an idea CLG could consider
nationally
IMPLICATIONS FOR
THE REMOVAL
OF THE
RINGFENCE
27. As an "Excellent" authority
(as assessed by the Audit Commission under the Comprehensive Performance
Assessment framework) since 2003, the SP grant paid by CLG to
Hampshire County Council, has always been subject to a lighter
touch than for the majority of authorities, and without the constraints
of the SP ringfence.
28. Funding granted to Hampshire CC by CLG
under section 93 of the Local Government Act 2000 under
the "Supporting People Programme Grant for Excellent Authorities"
has however been fully utilised in the provision of housing support
as determined by the Commissioning Body (CCG). On the basis of
a clear legal agreement between Hampshire CC and its partner agencies.
29. In these circumstances the removal of
the ringfence is not per se considered as a matter of concern.
The increased flexibility that has been given to authorities,
including Hampshire within the "Pathfinder" project
since April 2008 has enabled us to develop a wider range
of services than previously existed. We have used this increased
flexibility to develop amongst others:
(a) A Home from Hospital aimed at assisting people
in making the transition form a stay in hospital back into their
own home, by assisting them with a range of activities they may
identify.
(b) A Support & Rent Bond service to assist
with resettling ex offenders into the private rented sector
(c) A gardening service for older people to enable
them to remain in their own home (irrespective of tenure) when
maintenance of their garden becomes to much for them, or presents
a perceived safety threat.
30. We believe that the lifting of the ringfence
can have a positive impact in the development of outcome focussed
services such as these which can have a direct impact on the lives
of individual vulnerable people.
31. We are concerned however that the loss
of the ringfence, combined with a continued reduction in funding,
and the reduction in profile of a distinctive Supporting People
programme within the CLG will lead to an overall reduction in
the priority given to the SP programme.
CONCLUSION
32. Since the establishment of the SP programme
in 2003 a new priority has been given to the provision of
housing support. Strategic commissioning, performance monitoring,
and the involvement of service users have become established facts
within the sector.
33. In many areas including Hampshire the
Supporting People partnership has become a model of best practice,
both in terms of the partnership structures and working it has
developed, and in terms of the real differences it has made to
the lives of vulnerable people. As a partnership SP makes a significant
contribution to a wide range of its partner agency objectives,
ensuring that the needs of vulnerable individuals are met in a
holistic way.
34. We are concerned that at a time of heightened
economic uncertainty, that anything is done that will destabilise
the services which SP provides for some of the most vulnerable
people in society.
35. We would therefore ask that the CLG
actively use the remainder of this year in the run up to April
2010 to develop a transition package (as outlined in the
letter of 28 November 2008 from Mark Carroll to Chief
Executives) that ensures that vulnerable individuals continue
to be offered the services and protection they require.
May 2009
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