Residential and Nursing Care Home Services for Adults Aged 65 and Over Framework (Issue 2)

The Council procured and established a framework of providers, which commenced 1st September 2026, for the delivery of residential and nursing care home services for adults aged 65 and over who have been assessed by the Council as having needs for care and support under the Care Act 2014 and Mental Health Act 1983.

In line with section x and xvii of the ITT Procurement Pack and Terms and conditions, Schedule 5 - Operation Of Framework And Mini-Competition Process, this procurement is a re-opening of the Framework Agreement to invite new service providers to submit a Tender with a view to new service providers joining the Framework with Commencement Date of 15th February 2027.

For the avoidance of doubt, if you have already been awarded to the IA3668 Residential And Nursing Care Home Services For Adults Aged 65 And Over Framework Agreement which has a Commencement Date of 1st September 2026 you do not need to submit or re-submit a Tender.

The Framework is primarily aimed at individuals whose ordinary residence is within Staffordshire (which excludes Stoke on Trent). However, all Placement's will be made based on individual assessed needs, aligned to appropriate legislation, and will be within a reasonable distance, usually up to twenty (20) miles from the Resident's usual place of residence, as detailed in the Council's Choice Policy, unless the Resident chooses a care home outside the 20-mile radius. Where there are no Placements within a reasonable distance that can meet the Resident's assessed needs, the Council will consider locations outside of the reasonable distance.

Schedule 1 (the Specification) of the Framework Agreement sets out the minimum requirements a Service Provider must follow when delivering Services to Residents whose needs fall under the designated Lots of:

• Lot 1 - Residential for Older People
• Lot 2 - Residential for Older People with Dementia
• Lot 6 - Nursing for Older People
• Lot 7 - Nursing for Older People with Dementia

The Service Provider must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to deliver residential and/or nursing care for Residents aged 65 and over. The Service Provider must also hold registrations for other care category specialisms to meet both primary and secondary needs of Residents, making this clear in their statement of purpose.

If a Resident has multiple care needs, their primary need decides the Lot they are placed under. Needs may change over time, so the Council expects the Service Provider to be flexible either by meeting changing needs or ensuring a smooth transfer to another service provider if needed. The Service Provider must accept referrals for all types of Care Home stays which include:

• Long Stay: A placement within a residential or nursing care Home where the intention is that the Placement shall be the Resident's permanent residence.
• Temporary Stay: An individual who needs to stay in a residential or nursing care home for (i) a limited period where there is a plan to return to their own home (ii) a period of further assessment. The stay should be unlikely to exceed fifty-two (52) weeks.
• Respite Stay: A short stay in a residential or nursing Care Home for someone normally cared for at their own home, giving their carer a temporary break usually up to eight (8) weeks. Respite stays can be both planned and unplanned. An unplanned respite stay is where respite care is required within twenty-four (24) hours to support carer crisis.

Care home provision for 18 - 65 year olds will be the subject of a separate procurement exercise.

The Choice Policy requires the Council to source a care home placement that meets the assessed eligible needs within a reasonable distance of the person's usual place of residence, and the Indicative Personal Budget will be determined by the most cost-effective placement that can meet those needs.

When developing the tender documents the Council has taken regards to the key objectives set out in the Procurement Act 2023:

a. delivering value for money;

b. maximising public benefit;

c. sharing information;

d. integrity; and

e. removing or reducing the barriers faced by SMEs.