Tameside Supporting People Programme

Contract Monitoring and Review Process 2006-2010

Introduction

This document is intended to give providers all the necessary information regarding the Supporting People (SP) Review process 2006-2010. This process is an element of the overall Performance Monitoring and Review process we will introduce in Tameside in 2006. The SP team may adapt the process once it is implemented and this guidance will be updated accordingly. If providers need further clarification regarding the review process please ring the SP team on 0161 342 3267.

• The Performance, Monitoring and Review Process
• The review timetable
• Review criteria
• The Review Process- Following a Review
• Appendices

The Performance, Monitoring and Review Process

The overall process includes the following elements:

• Contract Monitoring
• Contract monitoring visits
• Contract reviews

From 2006 Tameside is operating a five-year review process. The review process will run parallel to the contract monitoring visit process. They will each complement and inform each other. Please see the contract monitoring visit procedure for further guidance on visits. We will review all contracts and the services attached within the five years. All services will also have at least one contract monitoring visit during this time as well as the one during the review. The contract monitoring process will also inform and feed into the review process. Please see the performance monitoring policy for more information. A flowchart of the new review process is attached at Appendix One.

The review timetable

We will complete all reviews during the period January 2006 - April 2010 in the following thematic categories.

• People experiencing or at risk of social exclusion,
• people in receipt of care with support and
• people living independently with support only.

These categories are described in the ODPM draft Supporting People Strategy

We will undertake reviews in the following order:

2006/2007 - Contracts / Services for people at risk of or experiencing social exclusion:

• Single homeless
• homeless families
• domestic violence
• young people including teenage parents
• drug and alcohol services
• offenders

2008/2009 - Contracts/ Services for people who receive care with support:

• Learning disability
• Mental health and
• physical disability
• extra care services

2009/2010 - Contracts / Services for people living Independently with support:

• Sheltered housing
• community alarm
• HIA)

The outline review timetable is attached at Appendix Two. This shows in which quarter we will review the Contract/s. Please note that we may revise the timetable, in this case we will notify you as soon as possible.

2.1 Setting the date for individual reviews

The SP team will contact providers to give at least 4 weeks notice for the written evidence to be submitted. At that time, the date for the contract monitoring visit will be arranged. We will confirm this in writing.

The SP team are available to discuss the process with providers on request.

Review Criteria

The SP team will assess the following areas during the review:

3.1 Quality

3.1.1 The Quality Assessment framework: following consultation with service providers we will use the QAF to assess Quality. We will assess performance against 8 objectives:

• Needs and Risk Assessment
• Support Planning
• Health and Safety
• Protection from Abuse
• Fair Access, Diversity and Inclusion
• Complaints
• The Living Environment.
• Service User Involvement

The SP team have included two of the '"Supplementary" objectives since the last review process. These are Service User Involvement and The Living Environment. These were included following consultation with the Supported Housing Forum and service users. We have adapted these two objectives from the ODPM version and therefore we recommend that Providers consult QAF at Appendix Three.

Providers will have to complete an annual QAF assessment for every SP funded service at the end of July each year. This should detail any improvement made on the QAF since the previous year. There is an expectation that providers will continuously improve. The SP may decide to carry out a contract monitoring visit following the assessment to validate the provider's comments. If this is planned the SP team will give providers at least one weeks notice.

Providers should also submit a completed QAF self-assessment with the supporting evidence for the review, unless an annual QAF assessment has been submitted within the 3 months proceeding the review.

At the review the SP team will be looking at areas of improvement. This means that if providers have assessed that they are a Level B, we will only look at evidence relating to Level B. However the SP team will always look at certain areas relating to Level C. All new services will be required to send in supporting evidence for all Level C in all objectives. A list of supporting evidence, and in what circumstances it is required, is attached at Appendix Four.

3.1.2 Validating the QAF

1. Desk top assessment:
   The SP team will validate the QAF by a desk top assessment of the written evidence by observation and discussions with staff and service users during the contract monitoring visit. The SP team will adopt any Greater Manchester initiatives developed with regard to validating the QAF. This procedure will be adapted accordingly if joint practices are agreed. The SP team will consult with staff members, service users and stakeholders as part of this process.
2. Contract monitoring visit
   The contract monitoring visit procedure is attached at Appendix Five
   • Staff members
     The SP team will need to speak to staff members during the review process. The provider is expected to make staff members available during the process. A letter should be given out to staff explaining why the SP team will be visiting. The letter is attached at Appendix Six. The SP team will use review question guide as a tool to consult with staff. This is attached at Appendix Seven.
   • Service Users
     The SP team will need to speak to service users during the review process. Providers should arrange access to service users during the review. The SP team also require providers to send out a letter to all service users, which is attached at Appendix Eight, and display the poster attached at Appendix Nine. The SP team will use the review question guide as a tool to consult service users. This is attached at Appendix Seven

     Service users will also be asked to complete a questionnaire before the visit. Providers should hand the questionnaire attached at Appendix Ten to all service users. The SP Team will collect completed questionnaires at the visit.

     The SP team will develop a team of peer reviewers who may also be involved in the review. The peer reviewers will be trained by the Supporting People team. The training overview is attached at Appendix Eleven CRB checks will be carried out for all peer reviewers. The peer reviewers sign an agreement with the Supporting People team. This is attached at Appendix Twelve

     The SP team will assess staff interaction with service users. This will be assessed using the form attached at Appendix Thirteen. Officers will discuss and complete the form after the visit. The SP team will also carry out an assessment of the living environment using the tool attached at Appendix Fourteen.
   • Mystery Shoppers
     The Supporting People may ask specialists to validate parts of the QAF (eg wheelchair user contacts scheme and makes enquiries about access, person from BME group contacts scheme and enquires about accessible information)
3. Stakeholders
   The SP team will contact stakeholders in all reviews. Providers can provide details of some stakeholders. A contact list for stakeholders for you to complete is attached at Appendix Fifteen. However the SP team may also consult other stakeholders, for example local advice agencies. A letter that the SP team will send to stakeholders is attached at Appendix Sixteen, and the stakeholder questionnaire is attached at Appendix Seventeen.
4. Carers
   Carers are anyone who is interested in a service users wellbeing, e.g., a relative or a friend. The letter to service users attached at Appendix Eight, informs service users as to how carers can be consulted.

3.2 Eligibility

The SP team will assess the eligibility of services for Supporting People funding under the care with support heading. We may also assess the eligibility of other services from time to time. Our statement of eligibility is attached at Appendix Eighteen.

3.3 Effectiveness and Strategic Relevance

The SP team will assess these areas using the outcome monitoring information completed by providers once this is agreed by the DCLG (a national approach is due for implementation by April 2007). In the meantime we will use the stakeholder feed back to assess strategic relevance. The SP team will also look at the data supplied in the quarterly DCLG returns and the Client Record Forms for effectiveness.

The SP team also will ask providers for 2 case studies of individuals with whom they have worked in the last 6 months. This is to assess who is accessing the service and what levels of support are being given.

3.4 Value for Money

The SP team will assess value for money in accordance with the procedure attached at Appendix Nineteen. This procedure may also be amended in the future following Great Manchester work. The SP team may ask for additional financial information if needed.

3.5 Quarterly Monitoring

Providers are required to submit the Performance Indicator Workbook attached at Appendix Twenty on a quarterly basis. The Performance Monitoring Policy is attached at Appendix Twenty-One. The demand and staffing form, attached at Appendix Twenty-Two,should also be submitted on a quarterly basis, on the same date as the Performance Indicator Workbook.

The Review Process - Following a Review

The SP team will keep providers informed throughout the review process. Following the submission of the review evidence and the undertaking of a contract monitoring visit the SP team will prepare an interim report within 7 working days to outline the review findings and any additional information needed. This will be emailed out to providers but also sent in hard copy.

During the review the SP team will ask service users how they would like to gain feedback. This could be in the form of a letter/report or a meeting/visit to the service. The SP team will do the preferred method of feedback and may ask providers to organise a visit to the service.

4.1 The review follow up meeting

The SP team will then set up a meeting with the provider to discuss the review findings. This will give providers an opportunity to clarify issues or provide further information. If providers disagree with the review reports this can be discussed in the meeting. At the meeting timescales will be set to meet any actions required following the review. This will include timescales and setting up an action plan to work towards the next level on the QAF. The minutes of the meeting will become the action plan. This will be emailed to the provider but also sent out in hard copy to providers. If providers do not query the minutes then the SP team will presume that they are correct and any dates will be adopted.

4.2 Monitoring action plan progress and conclusion

The SP team will ask for all action plan information to be submitted at the same time.. The SP team will contact the provider approximately two weeks before this date to check on progress and to enquire if the provider needs any assistance. The SP team is willing to meet with providers if support is needed. The SP team will then take any recommendations to the Joint Commissioning Group for information and approval. The providers will be made aware of any recommendations made to the Joint Commissioning Group. Providers will be given written confirmation of any decision made by the group.

If providers are not happy with the review conclusion they should contact the SP Lead Officer and then follow the appeals procedure. This is attached in Appendix Twenty-Three.

If providers require further clarification regarding the new review process please contact a member of the SP team at any time on 0161 342 3267.

Appendices

• Appendix One - Contract Review Process Flowchart 41.76 KB
• Appendix Two - Timetable
• Appendix Three - Quality Assessment Framework 1.04 MB
• Appendix Four - List of Supporting Evidence
• Appendix Five - Contract Monitoring Visit Procedure
• Appendix Six - Letter to Staff
• Appendix Seven - Contract Monitoring Visit Questions 239.47 KB
• Appendix Eight - Letter to Service Users 30.86 KB
• Appendix Nine - Poster
• Appendix Ten - Service User Questionnaire
  • Service User Questionnaire 78.92 KB
  • Service User Questionnaire - Pictoral Version 154.98 KB
  • Service User Questionnaire - Sheltered Accomodation 99.15 KB
• Appendix Eleven - Peer Reviewers Training Outline
• Appendix Twelve - Agreement between the Supporting People Team and Peer Reviewers
• Appendix Thirteen - Staff and Service User Observation Tool
• Appendix Fourteen - Living Environment Tool 77.75 KB
• Appendix Fifteen - Stakeholder Contact List 86.91 KB
• Appendix Sixteen - Stakeholder Letter 31.24 KB
• Appendix Seventeen - Stakeholder Questionnaire 69.34 KB
• Appendix Eighteen - Eligibility Statement
• Appendix Nineteen - Value for Money Methodology
• Appendix Twenty - Performance Indicator Workbook 2.23 MB
• Appendix Twenty-One - Performance Monitoring Policy
• Appendix Twenty-Two - Demand and Staffing Form 189.63 KB
• Appendix Twenty-Three - Appeals Procedure