Contracts with new residential and/or nursing homes Reference Number:

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1 This is an official Northern Trust policy and should not be edited in any way Contracts with new residential and/or nursing homes Reference Number: NHSCT/12/487 Target audience: All Trust staff involved in the commissioning of services from Independent Sector Residential and Nursing Homes (this would most involve Directorates potentially) Sources of advice in relation to this document: Catherine Craig, Commissioning and Contracts Manager Briege Donaghy, Assistant Director Planning and Modernisation Replaces (if appropriate): N/A Type of Document: Trust Wide Approved by: Policy Committee Date Approved: 26 January 2012 Date Issued by Policy Unit: 15 February 2012 NHSCT Mission Statement To provide for all the quality of services we would expect for our families and ourselves

2 Establishing a Contract with a NEW Residential and/or Nursing Home in the Independent Sector And Responding to amendments to Home Registration details Protocol Date: 12 September 2011 Lead Department for Protocol Review: Commissioning and Contracts Dept. 2

3 Introduction The Independent Sector provides the vast majority of nursing/residential home provision across the Trust area and beyond. In these circumstances the Trust contract with the Home to provide accommodation, care and support to Trust placed clients (both HPSS and self funding arrangements). The rates for such placements are set on a regional tariff basis and all Homes must be registered by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). The Trust has an established Central Bed Procurement Unit (CBPU) who trawl and keep in touch with Independent Homes on a regular basis to ascertain availability, prices and specific needs catered for. On the basis of this information, professional staff can aid service users and their families to make choices in terms of Home selection (in those appropriate circumstances). This protocol sets out how a new Home can register and get into contract with the Trust, to provide services for Trust clients. Occasionally a Home may extend or reduce bed provision, or add to or modify the categories of client groups supported. In such cases the Trust must be kept advised of these changes to make sure that placements made are appropriate to the Home s updated registration status. Purpose and Scope This protocol applies to the opening of a new Independent Sector residential/nursing home within the Trust s area, and to new or existing homes within or outside the Trust area which are not currently in contract with the Trust and are seeking to become so. It also applies to contracted Homes that make changes to their registration terms through RQIA. The availability of a new Home can become known to the Trust via a number of possible routes including the Trust being advised directly or in situations where a client/ family member/social care professional/other identifies a Home that is not currently in contract with the Trust. Clients may wish to consider that Home in their choice of possible Homes for placement. This protocol sets out how a new home can register with the Trust to provide for client placements. It also clarifies how the Trust respond to changes in Home registrations. PROTOCOL: New Homes The Home owner (hereafter referred to as the Service Provider) may have initially made contact with the Trust s CBPU, the Trust Commissioning and Contracts Dept or perhaps with a member of staff to identify that they would wish to become registered and contract with the Trust for Service delivery. All such contacts should be directed to the Trust s Contracts and Commissioning Department (CCD) (see Contact Details ) 3

4 On contact with a new Home owner the CCD will require to be advised of the estimated date of the opening of the new Home to allow the Trust adequate time to develop a formal contract, have it duly signed and have secured evidence from the Provider that the following are in place : R.Q.I.A Certificate of Registration for the new premises; Current copies of the Insurance Certificates for the new Home:- - Employers Liability Insurance (minimum of 10 million for any one incident); - Public Liability Insurance (minimum of 5 million for any one incident); - Medical Malpractice Insurance to cover all risks. Full name and address of the new Home, including the telephone number and address; Name, title, contact address, telephone number and address of the Registered Manager of the new Home; Full name, address, telephone number, address of the Group (if applicable) managing the new Home, i.e. Registered Provider; Full name and address of the Landlord / owner of the Home; Details of the weekly tariff(s) rate for clients; Confirmation that the Home (applies to Nursing Homes only) has a selection of pressure reducing or relieving mattresses for 85% of their beds of which 25% of this number should be pressure relieving alternating mattresses; The responsibility lies with the Home to provide the above information. The Trust CCD or other Trust Departments will not seek out evidence from third parties on the Home s behalf. Existing Homes Not Already in Contract with the Trust The above process applies to all new homes, inside or outside the Trust s geographical area. However in some instances an existing Home, not currently contracted with the Trust, will < > an offer of a client placement. This occurs mainly where a placement is being made outside the Trust area (but still within N Ireland). In these cases the above protocol continues to apply. In urgent circumstances where a placement needs to be made to meet the needs of the service user before all of the above evidence can be secured to enable the issue of a contract, a placement may be made only if there is assured evidence that the Home is already under contract with another HPSS Trust. This evidence must be 4

5 provided by the Home to CCD, e.g. written confirmation, endorsed by the contracting Trust, that residential/nursing home services are provided to that Trust. Without such evidence, placements cannot be made, as it is vital that the Trust and service user are assured that the selected home is appropriately positioned to provide for the service user s needs. Adherence to this process provides protection for the Trust and the service user. Contract Issue On receipt of all of the above documentation / information, the Trust s Contracts and Commissioning Department will prepare a contract between the Trust and the new Home for the provision of Residential and/or Nursing care for service users of the Northern Health and Social Care Trust area, in keeping with the service user s profile that the Home has been registered for. Two copies of the Regional Residential & Nursing Home contract will be forwarded to the new Home for signature and return to the Trust. Commencement of Service / Admission of Clients On receipt of both copies of the signed Contract, the Trust will secure the appropriate signature of a senior Trust Manager to counter sign the said contracts. Thereafter the CCD will forward a confirmation letter to the new Home advising that the Trust has now entered into a contractual arrangement with the new Home and that the provision of the service can now commence, with the Trust countersigned contract document. A copy of the above formal notice will also be forwarded to the Trust s Central Bed Procurement Unit and, for information, to the Trust Directors and appropriate Assistant Directors. Placements will not be made in advance of a signed contract being in place for New homes. The Home and contract details will be added to the Trust Contracts Database. Registration Amendments Where a Home notifies and secures approval from RQIA to extend (or reduce) the number of its available beds and/or the client group served, it is the responsibility of the Home (Service Provider) to notify the Trust s Central Bed Procurement Unit so that this can be taken account of in advising Trust professionals of availability. This information will be shared with the Trust Commissioning and Contracts Department so that contract documentation and the Contracts database records can be amended as appropriate. A new contract will not be issued in these cases as the Trust operates a cost per case contract arrangement and the contract issued is generic, i.e. it covers all service user groups, and bed numbers are not a feature of the terms. Where this information is made known to another Department within the Trust and not directly to the CBPU, this information will be directed to the CBPU. 5

6 Summary All Trust staff organising residential and nursing home placements with Independent Providers must initially check the vacancy list held on the Trust s intranet site. This site is updated on a daily basis by the staff in the Trust s Central Bed Procurement Unit. All Homes on this vacancy list have contracted with the Trust on the basis of this protocol. If, however a family choose a Home which is not on this vacancy list, staff must contact the Commissioning and Contracts Department (CCD) before making a placement to ensure an identified Home is in contract with the Trust or that a contract is secured on the basis of this protocol. This applies to all placements within Northern Ireland. Placements outside of Northern Ireland are governed by other policies. Contact Details for CCD Commissioning and Contracts Department Northern Health and Social Care Trust Bush House Bush Road ANTRIM BT41 2QB Tel No: (028) Equality, Human Rights and DDA This policy has been drawn up and reviewed in the light of Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998) which requires the Trust to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity. It has been screened to identify any adverse impact on the 9 equality categories and no significant differential impacts were identified, therefore, an Equality Impact Assessment is not required. Alternative formats This document can be made available on request on disc, larger font, Braille, audiocassette and in other minority languages to meet the needs of those who are not fluent in English. Sources of Advice in relation to this document The Policy Author, responsible Assistant Director or Director as detailed on the policy title page should be contacted with regard to any queries on the content of this policy. 6