We are pleased to welcome you to the first Commissioning Prospectus for Adult Social Care. Here, we set out our programme of activities for 2010 and highlight what is likely to be undertaken in 2011. We have also tried, where possible, to set out the general direction of our commissioning activity in future years.
This Prospectus is aimed at individuals and organisations providing care and support services to people in Leeds. Our aim is to provide an overview of our scheduled activity, which providers can use as part of their own business planning and business change programmes. For providers who have a current funding relationship with Adult Social Care, we hope it will clarify and support that relationship. For providers not currently working with us, we hope we have provided sufficient information to help you to understand the kind of services we are keen to develop – and encourage you to respond positively.
The Prospectus also highlights key areas where Adult Social Care shares commissioning interests with others. This is particularly true in relation to a large amount of NHS Leeds (Leeds PCT) work, as well as with corporate colleagues in housing-related support and support to vulnerable families.
The importance of partnership in commissioning is highlighted throughout. The Leeds Initiative, the Beacon award-winning local strategic partnership, provides us with a solid framework within which our partnership with NHS Leeds and other health commissioners in the city can flourish.
As well as outlining the key policy drivers for Adult Social Care and our partners in Leeds, we have sought to show how changing demography, the current and future economic climate and increasing public expectations of services are shaping our commissioning response.
In our work as commissioners and providers we share a joint responsibility to ensure that we meet the outcomes people want in ways which promote equality, safeguard the vulnerable and protect the dignity of all.
We want to make the commissioning process as user-friendly as possible and invite your feedback, so we can use it to make future improvements. Please contact reply via the Commissioning contact address: commissioning.asc@leeds.gov.uk.
Dennis Holmes, Deputy Director, Strategic Commissioning
May 2010