Share lives Scheme Soft Market Test

Plymouth City Council is engaging in a soft market test exercise to assess the market's capacity, interest and capability in the management of a Shared Lives Scheme.

A Shared Lives Scheme offers placements that provide people aged 18 years and older with an alternative and highly flexible form of accommodation and/or care or support which is provided by ordinary individuals or families in the local community.

A Shared Lives Scheme is an alternative to home care and care homes for people in need of support. A Shared Lives Scheme offers a personalised model of care and support where carers share their lives and in most cases, their homes with those they support. Shared Lives Carers are self-employed carers supported by the provider, which is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

The Shared Lives scheme will be expected:  To recruit a range of appropriate short and long term Shared Lives carers  To offer high quality shared lives placements to service users  To expand the long term shared lives service to meet the needs of service users and the development priorities of the service purchaser  To develop and expand the existing short break service to meet the needs of service users.  To offer support for service users referred to the scheme in Plymouth  To help develop service users independent living skills  Support service users to be empowered to make informed choices and decisions about their care and treatment and to take greater control over their lives  To help develop service users to become more independent and move on to a more independent environment if appropriate

Within Plymouth there is currently 12 long-term Shared Lives clients, currently no short break placements; there are a range of client groups such as adults with a learning disability, physical disability or mental health need. Plymouth City Council spent in the region of £266,000 on this service in the financial year 21/22. The local authority wishes to see the use of Shared Lives Schemes grow and expand.

Additional information: In order to improve our understanding of the potential provider market we are requesting organisations, that could consider delivering these services, to respond with an expressions of interest by completing the questionnaire at the end of the advert (Microsoft Word document) for this opportunity.

All responses and statements provided will be kept in confidence, but may be taken into consideration by the Council.

All responses are to be administered through the www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk website and to be returned by 6th January 2023. (12:00hrs).

For further information please contact Natasha Yeoman on 01752 307356 or [email protected]

Please note this request has been issued as an information seeking exercise only and is not part of a procurement process. Additionally, Plymouth City Council will not be liable for any costs incurred in responding to this Soft Market Test. Commissioners are committed to promoting Equality and Diversity and eliminating unlawful discrimination. Equality will be built into all aspects of the commissioning cycle to reflect this.