Commissioning

Commissioning team

Our Commissioning team works to improve outcomes and value for money from the goods, works and services used throughout the council, including social care services, building works, highways repairs, IT software and catering.

We hold a variety of contracts either with single providers, through framework agreements involving multiple partners or in long-term partnership arrangements. We also host the Berkshire Community Equipment Store contract on behalf of six authorities and four Clinical Commissioning groups.

Contacts

• June Graves - Head of Commissioning & Procurement: (01635) 519733
• Lynne Philpott, PA to Head of Commissioning & Procurement & Care Placement Officer: (01635) 503279
• Karen Felgate - Service Manager, Commissioning and Procurement for People: (01635) 519952
• Kate Pearson - Service Manager, Commissioning and Procurement for Place and Resources: (01635) 519925
• Thomas Bailey - Category Manager, ASC: (01635) 519021
• Vicki Murphy - Corporate Category Manager: (01635) 519364
• Emma Richardson - Category Manager, Communities and Wellbeing: (01635) 503434
• Vickie Collins - Category Manager, Construction and Facilities: (01635) 503218
• Sarah Wood - Category Manager, Agency and Energy: (01635) 503832
• Raymond Marshall - BCES (Berkshire Community Equipment Service) Commissioning Manager: (01635) 503142

Fair Cost of Care Median Data Report

Under the 'Build Back Better' programme, HM Government is exploring options to address long-term funding of social care. The white paper was followed by a policy paper (Market Sustainability and Fair Cost of Care Fund: Purpose and Conditions 2022 to 2023) which considered this issue.

The policy paper set out the expectation that councils would undertake a 'cost of care' exercise to assess the local impact by October 2022. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) issued guidance to councils in relation to undertaking cost of care exercises and their requirements (Market Sustainability and Fair Cost of Care Fund 2022 to 2023: Guidance). 

Our providers for Older Persons Residential and Home Care were contacted in July 2022 inviting them to complete data to support cost of care exercises, covering care provided to those aged 65+ in care homes and aged 18+ at home (domiciliary care).

We received responses from 80% of the care homes and about 1/3 of home care providers. We then analysed the data and developed reports for submission to the DHSC which were sent to the department on 14 October 2022 for their review.

We published the Annex B reports on 1 February 2023 in line with the recent further guidance received from the DHSC.  Annexe B West Berkshire Home Care Report [1MB] Annexe B West Berkshire Residential Report [2MB]

The guidance also required us to develop a Market Sustainability Plan which we have published on 27 March 2023  Annex C Market Sustainability Statement March 2023 Final [783KB]

We would like to thank providers who worked with us to carry out the exercises.

We will be planning to hold a Provider Forum in June 2023 and we hope this will provide an opportunity to discuss the reports with all providers after having sight of the reports. In the meantime if you have any questions or would like further information, please contact John Carpenter, Market Management Lead at ​​​​John.Carpenter1@westberks.gov.uk.

Key areas

There are six key areas relating to commissioning:

• Procurement
• Category Management
• Care Quality
• Care placement
• Berkshire Community Equipment Service
• Social Value Policy

You can find out more about some of these areas on the pages below: