Decision Maker: Director of Adults, Health and Well-Being, Executive Director of Corporate Resources
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
LaingBuisson were commissioned by local
government (LGA and ADASS) and worked with the Care Provider
Alliance (CPA), to estimate the additional financial pressures on
independent adult social care providers due to COVID-19. The
summary findings of the report were released to Local Authorities
early June; the additional cost to providers is estimated at
£6.6billion, with nearly two thirds of that cost relating to
PPE, representing the largest single financial pressure on
providers.
The government has advised public bodies via the PPN 20_2020
Supplier Relief due to COVID19, to help ensure supplier
sustainability through the COVID19 pandemic. This was further
enhanced by the ADASS/LGA note circulated 8th April 2020.
The Director of Adults, Health & Wellbeing DASS wrote to
providers 7th May setting out support available through the
Supplier Relief Scheme and confirming that PPE costs incurred were
within scope for reimbursement.
- The Adult Social Care sector is nationally recognised as a
vulnerable market.
- The providers range from those that are locally or regionally
based to multi-nationals but all providers applying through the
scheme operate locally and have a high percentage of staff employed
from within the borough.
- Care Homes are at the forefront of the epidemic and are facing
increased costs related to infection control, including the
extraordinary costs of PPE supplies.
- Most providers are heavily reliant on the Council for
income.
- Essential requirement to sustain providers to ensure care needs
of residents can be met once COVID19 is over.
The providers (as identified in the attached Officer Decision
Record) have applied to the council for additional costs they have
incurred as a result of COVID19. In calculating the level of relief
in relation to the additional costs, the following principles have
been established:-
- Available to all CQC registered Care Homes in Doncaster and
Council commissioned Domiciliary Care providers, including
Supported Living and Extra Care
- Support relates to actual expenditure incurred (evidenced by
invoices/receipts) and therefore provides no basis for an ongoing
fee increase
- PPE costs are outside the scope of costs which providers would be
expected to incur as part of their normal business continuity plans
and will not provide an ongoing business benefit beyond
COVID.
- The relief must be proportionate and sense checked – i.e.
the usage reflects the operational requirements of the
provider
- The relief relates to additional costs incurred and does not
equate to compensation for lost profit (in line with
PPN20_2020).
Relief covers the period March – 29th May 2020 for
domiciliary care, supported living and extra care housing providers
on the basis that the discretionary element of the Infection
Control Fund PC funding can cover PPE costs in June. In light of
the LaingBuisson findings and revised grant circular for the
Infection Control Fund confirming DHSC’s view that the
funding is not intended to fund PPE pressures in care homes, claims
from care homes for PPE in June will be need to considered through
the supplier relief scheme, if no further funding has been made
available from central government.
See attached Officer Decision Record for full details.
To grant supplier relief for PPE when applied
for under the SRS to Residential Care Providers, Home Care and
Extra Care Providers and Supported Living Providers.
1. Not grant the supplier relief under SRS
– the additional cost burden of infection control may put
some providers at risk financially and compromise their infection
control measures leading to reduced quality of care and ongoing
sustainability issues.
2. Grant relief in proportion to the amount of business contracted
with the Council – The cost of infection control measures in
a home has no direct relationship to the number of clients the
Council commissions within the home. Infection control measures
will differ depending on a number of factors such as the nature of
provision and capacity to control infection, including the design
of the building and ability to segregate staff and clients.
3. Grant a fixed sum per bed / visit / client – this is an
approach that was considered and discounted as the council could
not be assured that providers would not benefit inadvertently as
described above, infection control measures are not determined
purely by the number of clients. Some LAs have provided 10% fee
increases as an immediate response but this could create an issue
in terms of the cost of care and ongoing debates about fees.
4. Cap the relief at a fixed sum per bed / visit /client - this
approach would limit the Councils total exposure but is not a
measure required at the outset (this may be reviewed depending on
level of future claims received).
Publication date: 31/03/2021
Date of decision: 22/06/2020
Accompanying Documents: