Adult social care commissioning

Herefordshire Council commissions a wide range of adult social care services.

Tender for adult social care service opportunities

To receive updates of forthcoming tendering opportunities in this sector please:

Register on supplying the South West e-tendering portal

Please note that registering on the portal is not a guarantee of business; however once registered you will be automatically notified of forthcoming procurement opportunities.

Read Selling to Herefordshire Council, How we buy goods and services and How to submit a tender for more guidance on our process.

Our commissioning and procurement principles

The underlying principle which informs the council's approach to commissioning and procuring these services is to support residents to remain independent and lead fulfilling lives, whilst creating and maintaining a successful economy

This strategic principle is underpinned by five key policies which define the way the council will work:

  1. Outcomes - we will focus on commissioning for outcomes rather than commissioning of services, using the assessment of needs in Understanding Herefordshire
  2. Monitoring - we will apply a robust contract and supplier monitoring and management regime to ensure benefits realisation and maximise continuous improvement
  3. Self-reliance - we will work with residents, service users, volunteers and voluntary groups, community bodies, business and our partners to help people to be more self-reliant, devolve services and build stronger communities
  4. Local delivery - we will focus on community engagement, service delivery and public access in our nine localities, working with parish councils, local businesses and the third sector
  5. Valued services - we will prioritise services that deliver outcomes for a better Herefordshire and focuses on vulnerable groups

Quality assurance strategy for commissioned care and support (adult) services

Care home unified contract

Download and read the care home unified contract documents

Market Position Statement - supply and demand for care and support needs

The Market Position Statement (MPS) summarises the supply and demand of care and support needs across Herefordshire. It signals potential business opportunities within the care and support market and, whilst it is not a statutory document, it provides evidence of how the council fulfils its duties under the Care Act 2014, the Children & Families Act 2014 and other relevant legislation to manage and shape its market.

Download and read the Market Position Statement

Market Sustainability Plan for adult social care

A fair and sustainable care market is fundamental to the government's wide-ranging and ambitious reforms in adult social care. All councils are required to publish a Market Sustainability Plan setting out their plans for this.

The Herefordshire Market Sustainability Plan (MSP) sets out our plans for the next three years (2022-2025). The purpose of the MSP is to assess the sustainability and key risks facing the care sector in the county and demonstrate how the council will ensure the local care market remains sustainable as we prepare for future care reforms.

The Herefordshire MSP includes:

  • The current and future sustainability of care homes (65+)
  • The current and future sustainability of care at home (18+)
  • Using the cost of care exercise and provider feedback to understand the range of challenges facing the market
  • The impact of future market changes, including the care reforms
  • Plans for addressing sustainability issues, including how market sustainability funding will be used to address these issues
  • Using the cost of care exercise to inform the fee setting process for 2023-24

The MSP will enable commissioners to plan, have greater market oversight to deliver future reforms, and to work closely with the provider markets to ensure we have a sustainable sector across Herefordshire.

Read the findings of our Market Sustainability Plan

The MSP is required to be published with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) by 27 March 2023, so that the DHSC can consider and mitigate the risks facing each council.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Cost of Care Exercise

View Herefordshire Council's Annex B report of the Cost of Care Exercise below:

The report is in line with DHSC guidance and reflects the key principles of a transparent partnership approach and the specific circumstances relevant to Herefordshire Council.

Further information about the Cost of Care exercise and guidance on Annex B is available on the DHSC website: Annex B: cost of care reports contents - GOV.UK

If you are a provider and have any questions, or would like to discuss further, please email awbcommissioning@herefordshire.gov.uk