Application for a Care Home Contract

NHS Kernow and the Cornwall Council currently operate independent, but aligned, interim contracts for care home services in Cornwall which expire on the 31st March 2021.

The Contracting Authorities which include NHS Kernow, the Cornwall Council and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are required under the Public Contract Regulations (2015) to ensure we use a compliant process for purchasing services.

In order to balance this with our duties under the Patient Choice Regulations (2013) and the Care Act (2014), the Contracting Authorities have developed a straightforward process and invite Care Home Providers to join a new joint contract for Care Home Services that will:

• Not preclude registered providers from joining the joint contract;
• Replace the independent, but aligned, interim contracts that the Contracting Authorities operate;
• Enable the Contracting Authority to transfer existing placements and block contracts on the interim contracts to the new joint Contract;
• Enable the Contracting Authority to commission new Care Home Services (Placements and Block Contracted Arrangements) using the Call Off Process defined in the new joint Contract.

The new joint Contract will be for a term of three (3) years with the option to extend for a further two (2) twelve (12) month period and commence on the 1st April 2021.

Care Home Providers are invited to complete the application form that can be found in the procurement documents, in order to be accepted for a Contract, Care Home Providers are required to self-declare that they are able and willing to comply with the Contracting Authorities minimum standards, which follow:

• Meet the minimum standards set out in Section 2 - Grounds for Mandatory Exclusion and Section 3 - Grounds for Discretionary Exclusion in the Application form; and
• Deliver a Care Home Service that is registered with the CQC and in accordance with the Service Specification and policies set out in Section 2 of the Commissioner's guidance document; and
• Pay all staff employed in the provision of regulated activities no less than the Living Wage Foundation Rate www.livingwage.org.uk ↗ ; and
• Sign the Contract for the Services set out in Section 2 of the Commissioner's guidance document; and
• Provide the documents set out in the Conditions Precedent in Schedule 1.A of the Contract by the long-stop date in the Contract. Additional information: The new joint Contract will be for a term of three (3) years with the option to extend for a further two (2) twelve (12) month period and commence on the 1st April 2021.