CP2458-23 Caring Well in Devon Support Services for unpaid carers

Devon County Council, in partnership with the NHS Devon Integrated Care Board, currently commissions an integrated Carers Support Service to provide specified types of support to unpaid Carers of Adults pursuant to the Care Act 2014 and the Health and Social Care Act 2023. In addition, there is a commissioned support service for young carers. This provides specific types of assessment and support for young carers linked to duties under the Children Act (1989); the Children and Families Act (2014) and Working Together to Safeguard Children. During 2024 we intend to issue an Invitation to Tender to secure a contract with an organisation, consortium or group of organisations in partnership with each other to work with us and in co production with joint carers and in co-production with carers. Devon County Council (DCC), acting on behalf of the integrated health and social care system, would like to make opportunities available for preliminary market engagement activity with providers. This activity will help to inform the design of our future offer which will aims to promote and improve the independence, resilience, health and wellbeing of unpaid carers who are resident in the DCC administrative area. So that we can design that Invitation in a way that will deliver greatest benefit for unpaid carers, we now wish to hear from organisations who can deliver the whole scope of the services outlined below for the complete County Council area. Organisations who can deliver a significant part of the intended service across the whole geography of Devon but who would need to find a partner or partners to deliver the remainder may also respond. Initially DCC would like to invite providers to complete the following market questionnaire and to express any interest they may have in this potential opportunity. https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=gzehjWjLP0S7S5l_d_1b-z6x2gI6bN1Iv8k1PwTAv4xUQjhOMlpRNTY4RDIzSjUySDNITzNRRU9STSQlQCN0PWcu Potential providers may be invited for an individual discussion and/or to attend a wider market event. Information from this market engagement will be published on Pro Contract so as to be accessible equally to all interested parties will be published on Pro Contract so as to be accessible equally to all interested parties. Please note that any engagement events and/ or activity is not part of a competitive process. Publication or response does not commit Devon County Council or respondents to a future procurement, nor does it provide any process exemptions or preferential treatment to any parties expressing an interest. The Authority will not be liable for costs incurred by any interested party in participating in this exercise. Components that may be included in the specification(s): Potential components for support to unpaid carers of adults: - “Front Door” information and Advice: Online, web, digitally enabled, AI and Tech, telephone, video conference and webchat. Face to face at particular events such as during Carers Week, Carers Rights Day and significant Community events. - Carer Support Management – the service will exercise delegated Statutory Duties on behalf of DCC. - Preventive services, for example Peer Support, Carer Training, administering a Breaks Payment scheme, the development of “Carer Friendly Devon (Employers, Communities, organisations) and delivering a volunteer provided sitting scheme. - A Carers Hospital Scheme in all Acute Hospitals serving the County - Provisions of the NHS Long Term Plan - Partnership Working - Carer Engagement (Carer Ambassador Scheme) Potential components which may be included in a specification for unpaid carers who are young carers: - Supporting access to offers of support for young carers based on their needs and caring responsibilities. - Training offers to raise awareness of young carers. - Activity in recognition of and participation within national events such as Carers Week, Carers Rights Day and Young Carers Action Day. - Delivering any service offer as part of Devon’s Early Help approach and offer for families, this could also include any developing family hubs offer in Devon. - A role in safeguarding and protecting the welfare of young carers as children and young people in partnership with others. - Activity in recognition of and participation within national events such as Carers Week and Carers Rights Day. - Training offers to raise awareness of adult carers. - Listening to young carers and championing their views and rights throughout Devon partnerships. This list is illustrative and not definitive but interested providers must be willing and capable of providing all of these types of support.