Commissioning and Brokerage Procedures
This procedure should be used by all adult social care practitioners, with the exception of:
- Practitioners arranging assistive technology or Telecare;
- Practitioners arranging minor works or low level adaptations;
- Occupational Therapy practitioners arranging equipment or a major adaptation.
Although this procedure may be helpful to those people with responsibility for commissioning or brokering services, it does not provide specific guidance about arranging, monitoring or reviewing contracts, or any other associated actions that may be required. Anyone carrying out such actions should refer to available local processes.
The Personal Budget Support Team (PBST) find care service options and confirm services with the provider with a purchase order once ready to start.
Urgent or interim services
If the service is being provided as urgent or interim support, an authorised Conversation 2 workstep must be completed in Mosaic and a next step of Purchase Services - Basic/Non-assessed Services sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Please summarise the care requirements in the notes field.
Long term services
If the service is required long term, an authorised Conversation 3 must be completed in Mosaic and a next step of Purchase Services - Personal Budget sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Please summarise the care requirements in the notes field.
Arranging services
- PBST will tender out to Reading Borough Council's framework of home care providers and forward any bids received to the practitioner, who should then discuss the options with the end user/representative;
- Practitioner informs PBST as to which provider has been chosen and confirms a start date;
- PBST confirms the start date with the provider and sends a Purchase Order (PO) to ensure that they can be paid.
To suspend or end a home care package, in Mosaic, start a Significant information on an open Case and complete this with the next step Short term change to care package. PBST will then suspend or end the care giving an appropriate notice period.
If the case is to be closed, please follow this Mosaic guide.
If you wish to reduce a home care package, an authorised Conversation 3 workstep must be completed in Mosaic and a next step of Purchase Services - Personal Budget sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Please summarise the care requirements in the notes field.
PBST will then arrange the reduced care package with the care provider and send them an updated purchase order. If the care provider is unable to continue to provide the reduced care package, PBST will inform the practitioner and tender to the home care framework for a new care provider.
If you wish to increase a home care package, an authorised Conversation 3 workstep must be completed in Mosaic and a next step of Purchase Services – Personal Budget sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Please summarise the care requirements in the notes field.
PBST will then arrange the increased care package with the care provider and send them an updated purchase order. If the care provider is unable to accommodate the increased care package, PBST will inform the practitioner and tender to the home care framework for a new care provider.
Q: Can I have a list of framework providers to share with a service user?
A: Reading Borough Council, Home Care and Support Framework
Q: Please can I have a contact number for a provider?
A: Reading Borough Council, Home Care and Support Framework
Q: How do I do….in Mosaic?
A: Please consult the Mosaic Guides
or contact mosaic.adultssupport@reading.gov.uk
Q: An end user wants to cancel some of their support and wants this done immediately. Can this happen before I complete a new Conversation 3?
A: You can ask PBST to suspend the support with immediate effect, but a Conversation 3 must then be completed, or the client will continue to be charged for their financial contribution and the care plan will be incorrect.
An authorised Conversation 3 must be completed in Mosaic and a next step of Purchase Services - Non-Personal Budget sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Please state the category of care home required in the notes field (residential, residential dementia, nursing, or nursing dementia).
Arranging services
- PBST will share the assessment with relevant care homes who currently have vacancies, including any appropriate block vacancies. Names of care homes who indicate they can meet the person's needs will then be shared with the practitioner, who should then discuss the options and assessment with the end user/representative;
- Practitioner informs PBST which care home has been chosen and confirms a start date;
- PBST confirms the start date with the care home and generates a Purchase Order (PO) to ensure that they can be paid.
As they vary in cost, requests for bespoke care homes (for learning disabilities, mental health issues, other conditions, and out of area placements) need to be made to PBST from the clipboard in the Conversation 3.
Arranging services
- PBST will research to find suitable care home options with vacancies and will share the assessment with relevant care homes. Details of care homes who indicate they can meet the person's needs will then be shared with the practitioner, who should then discuss the options and assessment with the end user/representative;
- Practitioner updates the care and support plan of the Conversation 3 in Mosaic with the cost of the care home chosen, seeks ERRG authorisation and sets a next step of Purchase Services - Non-Personal Budget (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request);
- PBST confirms the start date with the care home and generates a Purchase Order (PO) to ensure that they can be paid.
Q: Can I have information on local care homes?
A: Reading Borough Council, Care homes
Q: How do I do….in Mosaic?
A: Please consult the Mosaic Guides
or contact mosaic.adultssupport@reading.gov.uk
If there are unused respite costs already allocated in the personal budget then, in Mosaic, start a Significant information on an open Case and complete this with the next step Short term change to care package, giving details of respite dates, any care home preference and/or category of care home required (residential, residential dementia, nursing, or nursing dementia).
An authorised Conversation 3 must be completed in Mosaic including a respite allocation and a next step of Purchase Services – Personal Budget sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Please give details of respite dates, any care home preference and/or category of care home required (residential, residential dementia, nursing, or nursing dementia) in the notes field.
Arranging services
- PBST will share the assessment with relevant care homes who currently have vacancies, including any appropriate block vacancies. Names of care homes who indicate they can meet the person’s needs will then be shared with the practitioner, who should then discuss the options and assessment with the end user/representative;
- Practitioner informs PBST which care home has been chosen;
- PBST confirms the respite dates with the care home and generates a Purchase Order (PO) to ensure that they can be paid.
If a new service is required, an authorised Conversation 3 must be completed in Mosaic and a next step of Purchase Services - Personal Budget sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request). Please summarise the care requirements in the notes field.
If the cost of the supported living placement is unknown, a request needs to be made to PBST from the clipboard in the Conversation 3. Once point 1 below has been completed, practitioner updates the care and support plan of the Conversation 3 in Mosaic with the cost of the care home chosen, seeks ERRG authorisation and sets a next step of Purchase Services - Personal Budget (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Arranging services
- PBST will tender out to Reading Borough Council's framework of supported living providers and forward any bids received to the practitioner, who should then discuss the options with the end user/representative;
- Practitioner informs PBST as to which provider has been chosen and confirms a start date;
- PBST confirms the start date with the provider and sends a Purchase Order (PO) to ensure that they can be paid.
To suspend or end a supported living package, in Mosaic, start a Significant information on an open Case and complete this with the next step Short term change to care package. PBST will then suspend or end the care giving an appropriate notice period.
Where background support is shared with others in a house, this may have implications on whether this element can be suspended.
If the case is to be closed, please follow this Mosaic guide.
If you wish to reduce a supported living package, an authorised Conversation 3 workstep must be completed in Mosaic and a next step of Purchase Services – Personal Budget sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Please summarise the care requirements in the notes field.
PBST will then arrange the reduced support package with the care provider and send them an updated purchase order. If the care provider is unable to continue to provide the reduced care package, PBST will inform the practitioner and tender to the supported living framework for a new care provider.
If you wish to increase a supported living package, an authorised Conversation 3 workstep must be completed in Mosaic and a next step of Purchase Services – Personal Budget sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Please summarise the care requirements in the notes field.
PBST will then arrange the increased support package with the care provider and send them an updated purchase order. If the care provider is unable to accommodate the increased care package, PBST will inform the practitioner and tender to the supported living framework for a new care provider.
Q: Can I have a list of framework providers to share with a service user?
A: Reading Borough Council, Supported Living Framework list
Q: Please can I have a contact number for a provider?
A: Reading Borough Council, Supported Living Framework list
Q: How do I do….in Mosaic?
A: Please consult the Mosaic Guides
or contact mosaic.adultssupport@reading.gov.uk
Q: An end user wants to cancel some of their support and wants this done immediately. Can this happen before I complete a new Conversation 3?
A: You can ask PBST to suspend the support with immediate effect, but a Conversation 3 must then be completed, or the client will continue to be charged for their contribution and the care plan will be incorrect.
There is no set rate for live-in care so bids must be received before costings can be added to the care and support plan in the Conversation 3. For PBST to tender they need an e-mail with:
- An anonymised pen picture;
- Provisional budget confirmation (email, case note from Management);
- Clear information if 2 hours breaks and/or waking nights are required as this affects the cost;
- Please also ensure that there is a spare bedroom for a live-in carer before asking for this service to be commissioned.
Arranging services
- PBST will tender to care providers who offer live-in care and details of bids will then be shared with the practitioner, who should then discuss the options and assessment with the end user/representative;
- Practitioner updates the care and support plan of the Conversation 3 in Mosaic with the cost of the live-in provider chosen, seeks ERRG authorisation and sets a next step of Purchase Services - Personal Budget (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request);
- PBST confirms the start date with the care home and generates a Purchase Order (PO) to ensure that they can be paid.
If a carers payment is required, an authorised Carer assessment and support plan must be completed in Mosaic and a next step of Purchase Services – Carer Services sent (you must click the finish tab or PBST will not see the request).
Please state the payment amount in the notes field.
PBST will then arrange for the payment to be made.
Last Updated: July 11, 2024
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