Commissioning intentions for extra care housing (ECH) in West Sussex

To deliver the vision for ECH, we want to:

1. Target geographical areas where there is insufficient ECH provision to meet current and projected demand
2. Work with a variety of public bodies to identify opportunities to develop ECH on available land sites and new housing developments
3. Work with West Sussex County Council (WSCC) Estates to re-purpose buildings to grow ECH supply
4. Seek external capital investment to grow ECH in West Sussex and work with developers who have access to land sites
5. Ensure that a variety of care and support needs can be met in ECH provision including provision that supports customers of all ages and specialist provision that can meet more complex needs
6. Encourage ECH to be seen and used as a community asset and as a base for other care and support
7. Ensure that ECH schemes are representative and inclusive of communities they serve, meeting diverse cultural needs and are inclusive for all
8. Work in partnership with district and borough councils to grow ECH and develop evidence-based strategic plans for ECH

Leadership and Commitment:

• A clear corporate commitment to ECH
• New and sustainable business opportunities in care and support commissioning and new build / renovations
• Market insight including demand and supply analysis
• Marketing and communications expertise

New Homes:

• Potential land for new schemes
• Expertise in development, local planning authority, engagement with the community and local council members
• Support for building design to meet varied and complex needs
• Potential capital funding contributions for new development and stock modernisation (subject to business cases)
• Support on technology developments in ECH
• Engagement with Homes England

Commissioning:

• Close work with community and hospital social work and reablement teams for placements
• A close relationship and collaborative approaches with the NHS and other key stakeholders

To encourage development and support our aspirations around ECH, WSCC are working in partnership with each of the seven district and borough councils in West Sussex. WSCC is also working with local authority planning services to ensure that extra care schemes which are brought forward are aligned with the needs of West Sussex residents.

WSCC has previously provided capital investment into a number of new ECH schemes and has also supported the development of schemes without the provision of capital. The development of new ECH is a key priority for WSCC and we would like to work with developers and providers from the earliest planning stage. Capital investment from WSCC for new ECH provision may be possible but is subject to the approval of individual business cases.

WSCC also offer revenue funding to ECH schemes to provide onsite care services. ECH care services are commissioned via a Dynamic Purchasing System which is available for CQC registered providers to join.

WSCC has invested in a dedicated extra care team to support the operational delivery of ECH. This team provides support to housing and care providers to ensure customers’ needs are met and that schemes are vibrant and engaging. The team oversees the allocation of void properties on behalf of the district and borough councils which is underpinned by a nominations agreement to ensure that scheme occupancy is maximised via a strong list of people waiting to move in. The extra care team also provide the statutory social care role in assessing and reviewing customer’s needs and support plans. This proactive approach enables providers to support customers in extra care with a range of needs including those with higher level needs.