Commissioning and Sourcing Care Procedure

All domiciliary care must be sourced via Sourcing Care.

Before referring to the Sourcing Care Team for a package of care or sitting service, you should make sure that the following information is available on Eclipse:

1. A completed assessment, reassessment or review (within the last year);
2. A completed Support Plan including the breakdown of hours required in the Commissioned Community Services tab;
3. Identified Care Act Eligible needs;
4. A personal budget agreed to authorise hours.

Time critical information, gender preferences must be outlined before the package of care is sourced.

Referrals for double-up care should be supported by an OT assessment/UYG.

If the above information is missing, the Sourcing Care Service will be unable to source a provider and will need to send the referral back until addressed.

In cases where a package of care is urgently required, Sourcing Care should be informed at the earliest point possible to allow time to take the opportunity to the care market.

Whilst Sourcing Care progress sourcing attempts, contingency plans should be being progressed by the allocated worker.

1. A worklist should be re-assigned to Sourcing Care via Eclipse. Email referrals will not be accepted unless urgent.
2. Sourcing Care will use the information provided to identify suitable providers. Sourcing Care will arrange a start date.
3. Once a package of care is identified and confirmed, Sourcing Care will award the contract on Proactis and SWIFT, allowing the provider to be paid.
4. If required, Sourcing Care will also provide a UYE2 for client contribution.

All work will be evidenced in case notes on Eclipse.

In certain circumstances, a specialist LD or MH provider may need to be sourced.

This should be agreed at Peer Forum and documented in the Support Plan, under the Commissioned Community Services tab.

The referral process for Complex Care matches general Domiciliary Care.

Providers will complete client assessments before accepting a package of care and may decline at this point.

Note: Where suspending or reducing the service will place the person or carer at risk you should not make any changes until risk management strategies have been agreed.

Ending a package of Care:

1. If a service requires ending, Sourcing Care should be informed with the end date so services can be ended on SWIFT;
2. If the alert for end of service is being sent by the Finance Team, this will be accepted over email;
3. If the alert for end of service is being sent by the Operational Team, this will be accepted via Eclipse;
4. If the provider is giving notice on the Package of Care, they are expected to email Sourcing Care directly, who will alert the relevant Triage Team. Operational Triage will review the case and refer back if a new provider is required.

Please note: This is a very important step as if it is missed, if Sourcing Care is not alerted, the providers will continue to be paid if the service is not deactivated.

Reducing a service

1. Sourcing Care must be alerted to the reduction and the date this will commence. The change should be agreed by the Operational Team and referred via Eclipse;
2. If the request for a reduction comes from the Care Provider, Sourcing Care will send to Triage for authorisation. Triage will inform the client/client representative;
3. Sourcing Care will link with the provider to confirm the amendment;
4. Sourcing Care will amend the open services on SWIFT. This will inform Finance, to ensure SCC is not paying more than is being provided;
5. The Operational Team will then need to complete a six-week review.

 Increasing a service

1. Requests for increases should be agreed and documented by the Operational Team/worker in the Support Plan and referred to Sourcing Care via Eclipse;
2. Requests for increases made by the providers will be made via email;
3. Sourcing Care can authorise up to 5 hours increase on a temporary basis. The Business Manager of the Sourcing Care Team can authorise a further two weeks to allow Triage to review and authorise a long-term increase;
4. Sourcing Care will amend SWIFT to ensure the correct payments are being made to the provider.

All work is to be evidenced in case notes on Eclipse.

Before arranging

Before submitting a placement request to Sourcing Care, the worker should ensure the following information is available:

1. Completed assessment/Review;
2. Completed Support Plan with the Residential Tab under Formal Services. The Support Plan should clearly state registration required;
3. The personal budget tab should be completed, including the client contribution and financial agent if the client lacks capacity. It should be documented here if there is nil client contribution due to S117 or relatives applying for deputyship;
4. If the Client has not had a Financial Assessment, the standard client contribution should be used temporarily;
5. The Care Act Assessment should document the identified Care Act Eligible needs;
6. Nursing referrals should be supported by a UYF confirming the nursing needs;
7. The placement registration and personal budget should be agreed at Peer Forum;
8. If the client lacks capacity or LPA for Health and Wellbeing, a best interest should take place. The result of this should be mirrored in the requested registration;
9. If the client is under Court of Protection process, documented below, should be followed;
10. All referrals for placements should be sent to Sourcing Care via Eclipse. Email referrals will not be accepted.

If any of the above information is missing the Sourcing Placements Team will not be able to arrange the service.

Arranging the Placement

1. Once referred to Sourcing Care, the request will be inputted into the Sourcing Care Programme;
2. The clients anonymised pen picture will be sent on an Opportunity report to providers throughout the week in line with procurement requirements;
3. The Placements Team will identify suitable vacancies and arrange assessments. Operational Staff will be informed of assessments taking place;
4. The Placement Team will identify two suitable options of homes. Preferred location cannot be assured due to fluctuations in capacity in the care market;
5. Once a placement has been offered by a Home, the worker will be informed to gain consent to move from the client or clients representative;
6. Placement offers over the Adult Social Care rate will be sent to the relevant budget holder for authorisation;
7. Sourcing Care will complete a Financial Agreement and send this to the financial agent for signing and the Finance Team. Sourcing Care will inform Finance of any circumstances where client contribution will not be required or if property is involved.

All referrals for SRC, OPMH Nursing, LD and MH residential must be agreed at Peer Forum or Complex Case Panel.

The worker should also consider whether the person may be eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare, Funded Nursing Care or joint funding. This should be documented, along with S117 entitlement, in the Personal Budget section of the Support Plan.

Before submitting the referral

1. In addition to the general placement referral information, for clients requiring one to one care, these hours should be documented in the Care Act Assessment and Support Plan;
2. If the client presents with behaviours that challenge, the behaviours, triggers and de-escalation plans should be included in the documentation.
3. Support from external services should be included in the documentation.

Arranging the service

1. Sourcing Care will follow the same process as general placements;
2. Sourcing Care will contribute to Mental Health ward meetings and MDT’s.

Note: If the provider does not hold a procurement contract with the Local Authority, a SS731 form will need to be completed to allow procurement to set up a contract. Without this the provider will not be paid.

All permanent placements should be referred to the Sourcing Care Team for Sourcing.

All Direct Payment (DP) orders must be sent to the DP Finance Team via Eclipse.

You should make sure that the following information is available on Eclipse and/or within the Support Plan.

1. A completed assessment, reassessment or review;
2. A completed Support Plan including the breakdown of hours required in the Regular Direct Payments Section;
3. Identified Care Act Eligible needs;
4. A personal budget agreed to authorise hours;
5. Include names and all contact information of an authorised third party when it is being managed by anyone other than the client;
6. Include the fees for any holding account with Enhamtrust.

If the above information is missing, the Direct Payment Finance team will be unable to make a referral to Enhamtrust and will need to send the referral back until addressed.

1. A worklist should be re-assigned to the Direct Payments Finance Team via Eclipse. Email referrals will not be accepted unless urgent;
2. DP Finance Team download the Support Plan and complete a referral form and send these to Enhamtrust;
3. DP Finance Team to enter package onto Swift. This allows FAB team to link and enter their assessments;
4. Enhamtrust contact the client or authorised third party and discuss Direct Payments, the personal budget, what provision is being purchased with the Direct Payment (Agency/PA/Micro-Provider)
5. Enhamtrust will work out a budget calculation where there is an employed PA to allow for on costs and employer responsibilities. They will also do this for a client third party on request for Agency or Micro-Provider;
6. Enhamtrust ensure the C3 has been read and understood. They complete the DP agreement with the client or authorised third party. They will leave information leaflets on whatever provision or service they have chosen;
7. Where there has been a request for a Holding account, Enham will ask for their MA agreement form to be signed along with a PA authorisation form;
8. Enhamtrust complete a payment action form with bank details of the account to be paid where it is being self-managed by the client or authorised third party;
9. Enhamtrust return all signed documentation back to the DP Finance Team;
10. DP Finance Team request a Vendor number. Once the Vendor number comes back, they ensure ISP check boxes are activated so payments can begin;
11. DP Finance Team enter a case note onto Eclipse and attached all signed documentation.

Note: Where suspending or reducing the service will place the person or carer at risk you should not make any changes until risk management strategies have been agreed.

Ending a package of Care:

1. If a service requires ending, Direct Payments Finance Team should be informed via Eclipse or Email with the end date so services can be ended on SWIFT.

Please note: This is a very important step as if it is missed and the DP finance team are not alerted, the payments will continue to be paid and recovery of overpayments is at risk.

Reducing a service

1. DP Finance Team must be alerted to the reduction and the date this will commence. The change should be agreed by the Operational Team and referred via Eclipse;
2. You must ensure this reduction is included within the Regular Direct Payments Section;
3. DP Finance Team will amend open service on SWIFT;
4. The Operational Team will then need to complete a six-week review.

Increasing a service

1. Requests for increases should be agreed and documented by the Operational Team/worker in the Support Plan and referred to Direct Payment Finance Team via Eclipse;
2. You must ensure this increase is included within the Regular Direct Payments Section;
3. Direct Payment Finance Team will amend package on SWIFT to ensure the correct payments are being made to the client.

All work is to be evidenced in case notes on Eclipse.

1. As part of the support planning process, care needs are assessed, and potential options (types of care provision) identified and discussed with the service user and others involved.

Please note: It is essential at this stage to have clarified the funding arrangements for meeting the assessed needs because this will affect which options are considered to be available. A best interests decision cannot be made without this.

2. The groundwork for the BI decision takes place, by consultation or in a meeting, where the likely to be available options are evaluated. This stage involves clarifying the person's and their family's wishes and preferences in relation to care provision, in terms of:

• • The type of care service;
  • Its location;
  • Whether it is temporary or permanent.

A final best interest decision is not made at this point

3. Eclipse Assessments and Support plan completed, identifying clearly what type of service is required, that the decision will be made in the service user's best interests, and the preferred timescale for the decision;
4. Re-assign to Sourcing Care using the general placement/homecare process;
5. Sourcing Care to identify specific care provision and confirm how long the provision can be held;
6. This information will be shared with the service user and others involved to complete the best interest’s decision. BI decision document is completed accordingly;
7. If agreement is reached provision commences. If agreement cannot be reached seek advice from supervisors, managers or MCA lead about how to resolve.

In CoP cases the Court becomes the ultimate decision-maker and will set timescales for this. However, this does not prevent matters being resolved more swiftly if the parties can reach agreement about a specific provision in the person's best interests. If the parties agree the court will approve the decision. If the parties cannot agree the Court will make the decision.

1. As soon as there is clarity about what type of care arrangement is likely to be suitable, seek funding if needed;
2. Complete the Assessment and Support plan in Eclipse;
3. Re-assign to Sourcing Care;
4. Sourcing Care identify specific care provision and confirm how long the provision can be held;
5. Allocated ASC worker liaises with the legal team and consults the parties. This does not necessarily require a BI meeting to be arranged;
6. If agreement in principle is reached, the solicitors are asked to prepare an order for the Court to approve. The order for the Court will include a Transfer order describing the arrangements for the person to be moved to the agreed provision and the proposed timing.

The orders are sent to the Court as soon as they are ready. The Judge will usually read and approve within a day or so.