Our commissioning approach for adults, children and families in Gateshead - commissioning priorities 2024-2025

There is significant demand for and diverse provision of care homes in Gateshead. These provide essential care and support to very vulnerable adults, very often towards the end of people's lives. It has been identified that a higher proportion of older and disabled people are admitted to care homes in Gateshead than nationally or regionally. It is therefore a key priority to reduce the rate of admission and overall numbers of Gateshead residents living in care homes. A key element of this approach involves more people taking up commissioned home care and other alternatives to enable them to remain in their own home.

Gateshead has generally enjoyed a stable care home market with good standards of care, adjudged by CQC and the council's own commissioning function. The council has fostered positive relationships with the sector, aligned with a proactive, robust approach to quality assurance. The sector has generally enabled consistent and effective discharge from hospital, withstanding the considerable challenges of the Covid19 pandemic, with dynamic support from Commissioning.

The current re-procurement of the framework for residential and nursing care incorporates a review of fees, refreshed and updated terms and conditions and a streamlined iteration of Gateshead's innovative Quality Excellence Framework. It is to be confirmed whether the ICB will join with the council to enable the framework and terms and conditions to encompass placements funded through Continuing Healthcare (CHC) The council will continue to work with regional partners in monitoring the capacity, quality and resilience of the care home sector, including around any reliance on overseas workers.