Social Value – a Norfolk
commissioning perspective
Mick Sanders
Head of Integrated Commissioning
Norfolk CC and Norwich CCG
A commissioning perspective
Covers:
• Commissioning and procurement of adults
and children’s social care
• Integrated commissioning
Informed by
• Views of health commissioning and Anglia
Commissioning Support Unit procurement
Implications for practice
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Commissioning
Procurement
Contracting
Influencing markets
Social Value and the commissioning
requirement
• Applies to all contracts (incl ‘Part B’ services) over
OJEU limits whether procured or negotiated
• Requires commissioners to consider how
proposed service may improve social, economic
and environmental well being
• Consideration and consultation on relevance of
social value at an early stage
• Papers to NCC Cabinet seeking permission to let
or extend a contract will explicitly consider social
value
Social Value Act welcomed
Builds on existing NCC approaches and
processes:
• Adds rigour to existing processes
• Consideration of value (NCC has tended to use
a wide definition of ‘Value for Money’)
• Encourages a wide view of needs and impacts
met through a broad range of relevant
commissioning partnerships
Integrated commissioning
• Norfolk – early adoption of the integrated
commissioning approach - health and social
care
• Pioneering and continuing to develop
integrated commissioning e.g co-location
• Enhances potential for commissioners to
commission holistic services deliver more
efficient and effective (joined up) services
Social Value and Commissioning
• Early consideration of relevance of social value
• Involving a wide range of stakeholders (including
other commissioners and public bodies)
• Coproduction with community organisations and
members
• Drawing on cross cutting information (JSNA/
Health and Well being Strategy) to understand
needs in a wide context
• Accounting for feedback when designing the
scope, model and outcomes for the service
Key Procurement Messages
• Basic capabilities come first. All prospective
providers must be able to deliver effectively,
safely and legally.
• Providers should beware sales people touting
social value audits, etc
• Providers should subscribe to NCC Twitter feed
(@NCC Contracts) and to Contracts Finder to
make sure they are aware of consultations and
future opportunities
• For health alerts: www.supply2health.nhs.uk
Social value and NCC procurement
• Social value requirements must be proportionate,
relevant to the contract and not discriminatory
• Routine issue of Prior Information Notice (advertising
intention to procure) starting formal consultation
• Social Value will be discussed at the Concept Viability
Event (CVE)
• Decision on SV following CVE. (in cases where it is not
relevant there should be a short statement in the
tender documentation)
• Social aspects of SV will be evaluated through
consideration of the proposed delivery model.
Social value and contracting
Using contracting and contract requirements to
promote practices which contribute to the wider
social value of a service e.g:
• Evidence of good management of staff
• Actively ensure equality of access to services
• There is effective governance in place
Influencing markets 1
Encouraging a level playing field for small and
medium size enterprises (SMEs) through:
• Offering information about procurement and
submission processes to help SMEs compete
• Openly welcoming service provision proposals
which can include SMEs (sub contracting/
partnerships)
Norfolk SME examples
• Review of insurance levels and only needed if
successful
• Simplified terms and conditions
• Pay in 30 days or better
• Prompt payment woven into contracts with
prime providers
• Sub-contracts to be advertised through
Contract Finder
Influencing markets 2
Encouraging partnership delivery models which add
value through their breadth and can accommodate
SMEs / specialist niche providers
Examples:
Healthwatch Norfolk – using ‘grant in aid funding’
to facilitate the development of a consortia
Information, advice and advocacy – specifying a
partnership approach with interdependent
contracts
Influencing markets 3
• Day opportunities – range of support for
providers to remodel services (including business
support and mentoring)
• Living Well In the Community Fund – pump
priming for providers to pilot prevention
initiatives (including small grants)
• Market Position Statement – providing
information about social care and related Norfolk
markets to inform the strategies of providers and
prospective providers
Continuing to develop holistic
commissioning approaches
• NCC commissioning hub - bring together
integrated/ adult social care commissioning with
children’s commissioning and procurement
• Sharing materials and best practice activities with
other commissioners
• CCGs are new entities and still learning –
increasing collaborating with a range of
stakeholders in developing service models and
solutions
Conclusions
• In NCC, principles of SVA were already enshrined
in our work
• Models adopted for commissioning already
include the holistic view as a way of meeting
need
• Wider view of value already adopted, but SVA
builds on this
• Simplified procurement assisting SMEs
• Context is everything
• Don’t pay for Social Value Audits!
Questions and Comments?
Thank you
mick.sanders@nhs.net