URL: https://democracy.kent.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=3022

Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose: Proposed decision To approve changes to the Community Wellbeing Services, including service redesign, contract updates and funding changes.   A review of certain adult social care preventative services has been undertaken, namely the Wellbeing Services in the Community, and Community Navigation services, funded by KCC and delivered through contractual arrangements with partners in the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. KCC arranges for the delivery of a wide range of Wellbeing Services in the Community, in addition to Community Navigation.   KCC consulted on proposed changes to its preventative services from 26 November 2024 to 27 January 2025. The consultation proposals were to reduce the funding and redesigned the Wellbeing Services in the Community for older people (55+) delivered by Social Enterprise Kent (SEK), Involve Kent and Imago Community. The consultation explained that the service redesign would incorporate elements of the Community Navigation activity and consequently the separate Community Navigation contract would be ended.  The redesigned Wellbeing Service would focus on people assessed as needing medium to higher levels of support. The proposals also included ceasing to fund the Innovation Fund and back-office support and removing unallocated spend in the Shaw Trust in the Mental Health Community and Wellbeing Service.    There are services which would not be affected by this decision which are: Wellbeing Services in the Community for people with dementia and their families Wellbeing Services in the Community for those with a physical disability Wellbeing Services in the Community for adults with sensory impairments Mental Health Wellbeing Services in the Community (with the exception of the Innovation Fund) Community Navigation for Carers.   How the proposed decision supports the Framing Kent's Future - Our Council Strategy 2022-2026   The consultation proposals align with priority 4 of Framing Kent’s Future – Delivering New Models of Care and Support and our commitment to reshaping our commissioning practice to ensure we build strategic partnerships with our providers, through earlier engagement, more consistent and proactive commissioning practice, and a stronger focus on co-designing services.   Options (and options considered but not taken forward to consultation)   The table below shows the different options considered.   Alternative option considered Why the option has not been taken forward to consultation Maximise potential savings by ending KCC’s investment in all Wellbeing Services in the Community and Community Navigation contracts.   Total saving: £8.74million This is based on the Adult Social Care contribution for the financial year 2024-2025 as outlined in section 3 of the consultation document.   Ending all Wellbeing Services in the Community and Community Navigation without an alternative approach and support would have a significant negative impact and increase the risk in more people needing social care more quickly.   This would also require KCC to consider how to fulfil the statutory responsibility for carers as the commissioned services undertakes carers’ assessments. Therefore, this has not been taken forward.   To stop funding the Community Navigation Contracts and reduce funding for the Wellbeing Services in the Community that support people 55+, to only support people assessed as needing medium to higher levels of support. And stop the Innovation Fund, back-office support and remove the unallocated spend of the Shaw Trust. This would save a total of £3.45million.   In discussions with providers in scope of the proposal it was felt that elements of Community Navigation need to be incorporated into the Wellbeing Services in the Community for people aged 55+ as it supports some of the most vulnerable and socially isolated people in Kent, and often people with multiple and complex needs, including frailty. Therefore, this option has not been taken forward. Do nothing. This option has not been taken forward as this will not achieve the strategic objectives of: removing elements of duplication within the prevention approach. ensuring prevention services are more efficient, targeted and making best use of limited resources. focusing on the areas of greatest need. contributing towards KCC’s savings.     Financial Implications An estimated £3.45million full year saving were attached to the consultation proposals, achieved by:   Cease to commission the Community Navigation services for older people (55+) delivered by Involve Kent, Imago Community and SEK. This amounts to a saving of £0.85million. Redesign Wellbeing Services in the Community for older people (55+) delivered by SEK, Involve Kent and Imago Community. This amounts a cost saving of £2.24million.   The table below shows the current contract values and funding that would be available to the organisations if the proposal is implemented.   Service Annual contract value (million) Proposed funding (million) Wellbeing Services in the Community for older people (55+) Involve Kent (West Kent) £0.99million £0.42million Involve Kent (North Kent £0.66million £0.28million SEK (East Kent) £1.24million £0.52million Imago Community (Ashford, Canterbury and Swale) £0.98milion £0.41million Total £3.87million £1.63million   3.    Mental Health Wellbeing Services in the Community (Live Well Kent) - delivered by Porchlight and Shaw Trust.   Innovation Fund: This would be a saving of £0.28million. Back-office support: This would result in a saving of £0.04million.  Removal of Shaw Trust unallocated spend: A total of £0.04million is the spend that is unallocated. Together, this would total £0.36million. The rest of the services commissioned with Live Well Kent and Medway are not affected by this proposal.   However, there are potential costs to social care which could reduce the anticipated savings. The consultation explained that KCC estimated that these costs would be between £18,000 to £180,000 (full year costs), based on modelling the potential demand and financial impact on adult social care. This has been informed by professional knowledge, experience and data provided by providers.   Intended decision   Following the consultation, there has been consideration to consultation feedback and further work and analysis on the proposals undertaken. It is now intended that the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health will take a key decision regarding the future of the relevant services, i.e.: Community Navigation Services for older people (55+); Wellbeing Services in the Community for older people (55+); and Mental Health Wellbeing Services in the Community (Live Well Kent).   It is intended that this decision will be taken at the same time as a decision on the adoption of KCC’s draft Adult Social Care Prevention Framework: 2025-2035. The Cabinet Member will be asked to consider the papers relevant to both decisions before taking either decision.      

Content: Proposed decision To approve changes to the Community Wellbeing Services, including service redesign, contract updates and funding changes.   A review of certain adult social care preventative services has been undertaken, namely the Wellbeing Services in the Community, and Community Navigation services, funded by KCC and delivered through contractual arrangements with partners in the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. KCC arranges for the delivery of a wide range of Wellbeing Services in the Community, in addition to Community Navigation.   KCC consulted on proposed changes to its preventative services from 26 November 2024 to 27 January 2025. The consultation proposals were to reduce the funding and redesigned the Wellbeing Services in the Community for older people (55+) delivered by Social Enterprise Kent (SEK), Involve Kent and Imago Community. The consultation explained that the service redesign would incorporate elements of the Community Navigation activity and consequently the separate Community Navigation contract would be ended.  The redesigned Wellbeing Service would focus on people assessed as needing medium to higher levels of support. The proposals also included ceasing to fund the Innovation Fund and back-office support and removing unallocated spend in the Shaw Trust in the Mental Health Community and Wellbeing Service.    There are services which would not be affected by this decision which are: Wellbeing Services in the Community for people with dementia and their families Wellbeing Services in the Community for those with a physical disability Wellbeing Services in the Community for adults with sensory impairments Mental Health Wellbeing Services in the Community (with the exception of the Innovation Fund) Community Navigation for Carers.   How the proposed decision supports the Framing Kent's Future - Our Council Strategy 2022-2026   The consultation proposals align with priority 4 of Framing Kent’s Future – Delivering New Models of Care and Support and our commitment to reshaping our commissioning practice to ensure we build strategic partnerships with our providers, through earlier engagement, more consistent and proactive commissioning practice, and a stronger focus on co-designing services.   Options (and options considered but not taken forward to consultation)   The table below shows the different options considered.   Alternative option considered Why the option has not been taken forward to consultation Maximise potential savings by ending KCC’s investment in all Wellbeing Services in the Community and Community Navigation contracts.   Total saving: £8.74million This is based on the Adult Social Care contribution for the financial year 2024-2025 as outlined in section 3 of the consultation document.   Ending all Wellbeing Services in the Community and Community Navigation without an alternative approach and support would have a significant negative impact and increase the risk in more people needing social care more quickly.   This would also require KCC to consider how to fulfil the statutory responsibility for carers as the commissioned services undertakes carers’ assessments. Therefore, this has not been taken forward.   To stop funding the Community Navigation Contracts and reduce funding for the Wellbeing Services in the Community that support people 55+, to only support people assessed as needing medium to higher levels of support. And stop the Innovation Fund, back-office support and remove the unallocated spend of the Shaw Trust. This would save a total of £3.45million.   In discussions with providers in scope of the proposal it was felt that elements of Community Navigation need to be incorporated into the Wellbeing Services in the Community for people aged 55+ as it supports some of the most vulnerable and socially isolated people in Kent, and often people with multiple and complex needs, including frailty. Therefore, this option has not been taken forward. Do nothing. This option has not been taken forward as this will not achieve the strategic objectives of: removing elements of duplication within the prevention approach. ensuring prevention services are more efficient, targeted and making best use of limited resources. focusing on the areas of greatest need. contributing towards KCC’s savings.     Financial Implications An estimated £3.45million full year saving were attached to the consultation proposals, achieved by:   Cease to commission the Community Navigation services for older people (55+) delivered by Involve Kent, Imago Community and SEK. This amounts to a saving of £0.85million. Redesign Wellbeing Services in the Community for older people (55+) delivered by SEK, Involve Kent and Imago Community. This amounts a cost saving of £2.24million.   The table below shows the current contract values and funding that would be available to the organisations if the proposal is implemented.   Service Annual contract value (million) Proposed funding (million) Wellbeing Services in the Community for older people (55+) Involve Kent (West Kent) £0.99million £0.42million Involve Kent (North Kent £0.66million £0.28million SEK (East Kent) £1.24million £0.52million Imago Community (Ashford, Canterbury and Swale) £0.98milion £0.41million Total £3.87million £1.63million   3.    Mental Health Wellbeing Services in the Community (Live Well Kent) - delivered by Porchlight and Shaw Trust.   Innovation Fund: This would be a saving of £0.28million. Back-office support: This would result in a saving of £0.04million.  Removal of Shaw Trust unallocated spend: A total of £0.04million is the spend that is unallocated. Together, this would total £0.36million. The rest of the services commissioned with Live Well Kent and Medway are not affected by this proposal.   However, there are potential costs to social care which could reduce the anticipated savings. The consultation explained that KCC estimated that these costs would be between £18,000 to £180,000 (full year costs), based on modelling the potential demand and financial impact on adult social care. This has been informed by professional knowledge, experience and data provided by providers.   Intended decision   Following the consultation, there has been consideration to consultation feedback and further work and analysis on the proposals undertaken. It is now intended that the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health will take a key decision regarding the future of the relevant services, i.e.: Community Navigation Services for older people (55+); Wellbeing Services in the Community for older people (55+); and Mental Health Wellbeing Services in the Community (Live Well Kent).   It is intended that this decision will be taken at the same time as a decision on the adoption of KCC’s draft Adult Social Care Prevention Framework: 2025-2035. The Cabinet Member will be asked to consider the papers relevant to both decisions before taking either decision.         As Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, I agree to:   a)    APPROVE the following changes (which were subject to public consultation) to the Community Wellbeing Services,   ·      Cease to commission the Community Navigation services for older people (55+) delivered by Involve Kent, Imago Community and South East Kent (SEK). Three months’ notice to be given to providers. ·      Reduce funding and redesign the Wellbeing Services in the Community for older people (55+) delivered by SEK, Involve Kent and Imago Community. This would be achieved by varying each of the three contracts and incorporate elements of community navigation. The service to focus on supporting people needing medium to higher levels of support, support for people assessed as having lower-level needs would stop. Work on this will start as soon as any decision has been taken, involving discussions with providers on the design and key performance indicators of the services, to be implemented three months after the decision. The varied Wellbeing contracts to end on 31 March 2027. ·      Mental Health Wellbeing Services in the Community (Live Well Kent and Medway) - delivered by Porchlight and Shaw Trust. The proposal is to undertake a contract modification to each provider’s contract, removing the requirement to deliver the Innovation fund. Reduce the contract value for the Innovation Fund and back-office supportand remove Shaw Trust unallocated spend; and   b)    DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health to take other relevant actions, including but not limited to finalising the terms of and entering into required contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision.  

Date of Decision: October 2, 2025