Who do we notify about our availability?

You will need to update the vacancy reporting form at least once each week to notify Hampshire County Council of your vacancies. You will be emailed the vacancy reporting form each week for you to update.

Are we able to flex the number of beds available under each profile?

Yes, the vacancy reporting form just asks you to confirm whether you have a vacancy under a specific needs profile. It is up to you how many beds you make available under each profile.

Can I update my vacancies as required?

Yes you can use the vacancy form link at any time to update your vacancies. You do not need to wait for the link to be sent to you.

What do we do if we keep receiving inappropriate referrals?

If you believe you keep receiving inappropriate referrals, please contact the Commissioning Team via [email protected], outlining the frequency and why you believe they are inappropriate.

Can I remove myself from receiving referrals?

Yes, if you are unable to accept referrals for a short time, please set your vacancy availability to 'no' on your weekly vacancy reporting form. If this is an ongoing issue, the Commissioning Team may wish to discuss this with you further.

Will you tell us if we are successful or not?

Yes, the Brokerage Team will inform you via email if:

• your bid is unsuccessful
• they wish you to assess
• they have put you on a ‘holding’ list and the timescale in which they will come back to you

How will you make placements?

Individuals will be offered a choice of Care Home Framework homes, that our Brokerage Team will source on their behalf. It is likely that one of these will be a Hampshire County Council Care Home and the other from a private provider. If a Hampshire County Council Care and Support Services home is not available or declined, the Brokerage team will work with the individual or their family/representative to source a maximum of up to two cost-effective independent sector care homes.

How quickly do I need to accept or decline referrals?

You must respond to ALL referrals you receive. You need to respond whether you accept or decline the referral.

You have 24 hours from the point you receive the referral to do this.

Who do I speak to about the move into my care home?

When Brokerage has confirmed that your bid is successful and you have accepted the individual following the assessment, the Brokerage Team will remain your main point of contact, liaising between yourself as the provider and the individual/their representative, to co-ordinate the move to the home.

How quickly do I need to assess someone?

We ask that you assess someone within 72 hours of the Brokerage Team confirming they would like you to assess. This includes weekends should they confirm to you on a Friday.

What if I do not want to accept the referral following assessment?

Let the Brokerage Team know that you are unable to accept the individual and the reason for this. Brokerage will then recommence the process. Should this happen on multiple occasions this may prompt a contract monitoring visit from the Commissioning Team to better understand any issues.

What happens if the person I see is different to the pen-picture I received?

Let the Brokerage Team know, outlining what the differences are between the pen-picture received and the individual you saw. Brokerage will then liaise with all parties involved to ascertain the next course of action. Contact Brokerage via [email protected]

How long will it take before someone is placed in my home?

We aim that it should take no more than 7-10 days from the point of referral to Brokerage to the individual being resident within your home.

How do we accept referrals?

You will receive an email from Brokerage with a copy of the pen-picture attached and a link to a response form. Once you have looked at the pen-picture, click the link to the response form and fill in the details, then either accept the referral, confirming your weekly price and assessment date, or decline the referral outlining your reason why.

What decline response do I need to use?

What decline response do I need to use?

If you select Decline: Unable to meet needs, there will be a further drop down for you to select from

What happens when someone transitions from Discharge to Assess (D2A) or a Short Term Service (STS) to permanent?

Our Brokerage Team will follow the Choice of Accommodation Policy and look to source their long-term placement as per the standard process.

What happens when someone is no longer eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC)?

If the individual is eligible for Local Authority support and funding, our Brokerage Team will follow the Choice of Accommodation Policy and look to source their long-term placement as per the standard process.

What do I do if I have concerns about a discharge from hospital?

It is vital that any concerns about a discharge are fed back through the usual routes (incident forms, safeguarding concerns, etc). However,  to ensure a robust feedback flow, we have provided the following email address specifically for positive feedback but also for any staff to be able to highlight concerns or  issues related to restarts and return to placements: R&[email protected]

Do timescales apply over weekends?

The 24-hour response time for referrals  does not apply over the weekend, however, the 72-hour response time for assessments does apply over the weekend.

Will you let me know if you want me to assess?

Yes, the Brokerage Team will inform you via email if:

• your bid is unsuccessful
• they wish you to assess
• they have put you on a ‘holding’ list and the timescale in which they will come back to you

What happens if I don’t get any referrals?

This may be because your contact details are not up to date, you can update your details via the provider contact form. If your details are up to date, contact the Commissioning Team via [email protected] to discuss.

What are the exceptions to placement through the Framework?

If a placement is required that is geographically outside the Framework boundary; for an individual with specialist needs that cannot be met by a Framework provider; or having followed the Choice of Accommodation Policy, the individual/their representative refuses all options given to them, and they choose to source their own care. However, these situations would require a Hampshire County Council senior manager to sign off.

What is Tier 1 and Tier 2?

Tier 1 is our internal Hampshire County Council care homes. Tier 2 are the homes in the independent market signed up and accepted onto the Care Home Framework long-term call-off.

What happens if the individual/their representative wants a placement or room that costs more?

You should only be offering placements within the Framework needs profile cost banding. If, having followed the Choice of Accommodation Policy, the individual/their representative refuses all options given to them, they are welcome to source their own care. If this is a more expensive room within your home, the individual’s friends/family would have the option to pay a third-party top-up. This will be organised via our Brokerage Team and paid to the home directly. This should not be a separate contract/arrangement with the individual/their representative.

Can we still carry out our own assessments?

Yes, when you initially accept the referral, you will respond with a date on which you can assess the individual. Your contract requires that this is within 72 hours. You will have the option to reject the referral once you have completed your assessment. You must outline your reason for rejection. However, we are hopeful that improvements to the pen-picture will mean you should not need to reject the referral post your assessment.

Someone needs some equipment. What can I do?

It is your responsibility to source the equipment needed for an individual via your normal routes, as per Clause 24 of your long-term care call-off contract. If there is a delay in sourcing equipment which may delay the transfer of care for an individual, please ensure you update our Brokerage Team. We reserve the right to offer the placement to another provider if you are unable to source the equipment required.

What do we do when somebody’s capital depletes?

When you become aware that someone’s capital is depleting, you should advise them to contact the Hampshire County Council Contact and Resolution Team (CART) when their capital reaches £40,000. You are also able to refer an individual, with their permission, via telephone or professional referral form. You are able to print out information for residents who are at risk of reaching £40,000. A poster is available for you to print out and display in your home.

What does Hampshire County Council do when somebody’s capital depletes?

When someone’s capital depletes, they will be referred to the Review and Intervention Team to undertake a Care Act Assessment. Should the individual be eligible for care and support as per their assessment, the individual will be referred for a financial assessment. Should it be found that they are eligible for local authority financial support, Hampshire County Council will follow the Choice of Accommodation Policy. If the individual’s home can still meet their needs, are signed up to the correct needs profiles as set out in Schedule 2 of your long-term residential and nursing care call-off contract, the individual and/or their legal representative agree to the placement and a price within the needs profile range is agreed, the County Council will endeavour to ensure the individual remains within the home of their choosing.

Will someone who’s capital depletes fall into the needs profile banding rates?

Yes, when someone’s capital depletes, Hampshire County Council will follow the Choice of Accommodation Policy to ensure the best fit and value for money for an individual.

Can I remove myself from the Framework?

Yes, you will need to contact [email protected] to do so.

Can I remove myself from call-off contracts?

Yes, you will need to contact [email protected] to do so.

Can I add or remove needs profiles from my application?

Yes you are able to add or remove needs profiles by logging into your Intend account and amending your long-term call off application by selecting modify return.

Don’t forget to re-submit the application.

How quickly do I need to respond to referrals?

You have 24 hours in which to initially respond to referrals. You must respond whether or not you are able to accept the referral for assessment.

Do your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) align with CQC?

We have included some of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) quality ‘I’ statements within our contract management requirements. The specification and contractual documentation outlines how you should be working within CQC guidelines throughout.

Will we be penalised if we decline referrals?

You must respond with a reason as to why you are unable to accept a referral and multiple declines for the same reason may trigger a phone call from the Commissioning Team to understand your situation.

Will I be penalised if I do not submit my reporting data?

Failure to submit your reporting data may lead to increased monitoring and/or possible suspension from the call-off contract.

What if I don’t have vacancies?

You can only offer what you have available. However, if there are no vacancies for a prolonged period of time, this may result in a phone call from the Commissioning Team to understand your situation.

What will my contract management meetings look like?

These will take place at least once a year. If Hampshire County Council commissions more than 50% of the bed capacity within your home this will be twice a year. We may also meet with you via Microsoft Teams as required. These meetings will be scheduled with you and are an opportunity for us to:

• look at your performance data, e.g. how many referrals you have declined
• look at your service information, e.g. staff training percentages
• look at your positive news stories and case studies
• discuss any issues you may have been having
• anything else you would like to add to the agenda for the meeting

The meetings are designed to be an honest conversation between both parties, with an opportunity to explore development areas or anything else as required. Meetings should take no more than 1.5 hours.

How do I prepare for my contract management meeting?

Make sure you have completed the self-assessment form that will be emailed to you a minimum of two weeks prior to your meeting. You should include a minimum of one case study with this, which you may wish to prepare before you receive your form.

A Commissioning Officer or Commissioning Support Officer will aim to email you your performance information before the meeting which you should also look at. Contact the Commissioning Team via [email protected] to let them know of any items you would like on the agenda for the meeting and prepare for these accordingly.

Do I have to do training through Hampshire County Council’s in-house training team?

No, you can choose whatever training provider meets your needs. However, if you have signed up to deliver complex care, there are certain standards that the training provider you use must meet.

Will Hampshire County Council care homes, as a Tier 1 provider, also be contract monitored?

Yes, Hampshire County Council care homes will be held to the same specification and contract monitoring criteria, with regular meetings the same as the independent market.

Will visits be announced?

Yes, we will always arrange a convenient time to come and meet with you.

Will Hampshire County Council provide the surveys to go to individuals/their representatives?

There are currently no plans for the County Council to provide the surveys to go to individuals/their representatives as we do not want to create additional work for you. However, should this be something the majority of providers who are accepted to deliver long-term care wish to happen, we would look to co-produce something with you to roll out across the county.

How will I be paid?

You will be paid upfront automatically at the start of each month. Your first payment may take six weeks to reach your account.

Who do I speak to if I  haven’t been paid?

You will need to email [email protected].

What rates do you pay for individuals?

Our needs profile bandings for the 2024/25 financial year are:

• Residential Standard £900 to £1,000
• Residential Enhanced £1,000 to £1,100
• Nursing Standard £1,050 to £1,150
• Nursing Enhanced £1,150 to £1,250
• Complex up to £1,350

Will you pay Funded Nursing Care (FNC)?

No, Hampshire County Council cannot legally and will not pay FNC for any long-term individual. You will need to claim FNC from the Integrated Care Board (ICB) as per your usual process. See our provider payments webpage for more information on FNC.

Will I get an uplift each year?

Yes, we guarantee that homes that have been accepted to and are actively working under the long-term call-off will receive an uplift each year.

Will you update the needs profile cost bandings?

Yes, we will also uplift the needs profile bandings each year.

If you agree the change in needs, will payment be backdated?

Yes, if you have requested a review for a change in needs, this is accepted and an increase in funding agreed (in line with changes to the needs profile banding), this will be backdated to the date the referral form was submitted.

Will my short-term placements be paid automatically?

No, you will still need to send an invoice to [email protected] for any short-term placements at your home.

I’ve got a question about my payment. Who do I contact?

Contact the Provider Payments Team via [email protected].

I need to change my bank details. What should I do?

You can change your bank details via the Supplier web page.

How quickly will you respond to my query?

This will depend on the team dealing with your enquiry. The Contact, Assessment and Resolution Team (CART) will ensure your query is sent to the relevant team within one working day to be dealt with. The relevant team will then follow up with you. You can contact CART via the professional referral form. Adult Services Contracts’ enquiries, via [email protected], will be responded to within five working days. The Adult Provider Payments Team can be contacted via [email protected], and will respond within seven working days. The Brokerage Team, contactable via [email protected] will respond to your query within five working days. The Commissioning Team, at [email protected], will respond within five working days. The Paying for Care and Customer Financial Management Team do not have timescales for responses. Queries are prioritised by the complexity of the issue to be addressed.

What should I do when someone is admitted to hospital?

Please report any hospital admissions to CART by phoning 0300 555 1386, Monday 8.30am to 5pm, Tuesday to Thursday 9.30am to 5pm, Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm. Out of hours 0300 555 1373, Monday to Thursday 5pm to 8.30am, Friday 4.30pm to Monday 8.30am, all day on Bank Holidays or use the professional referral form.

Please ensure you include:

• name of individual
• date of birth
• address
• Care Director identification number
• NHS number (if known)
• date of admission
• reason for admission
• current service received
• any concerns or recent background information that is relevant
• contact details of the referrer

What should I do if I have concerns about a discharge from hospital?

It is vital that any concerns about a discharge are fed back through the usual routes (incident forms, safeguarding concerns, etc). However, in order to ensure a robust feedback flow, we have provided the following email address specifically for positive feedback but also for any staff to be able to highlight concerns or issues related to restarts and return to placements: R&[email protected].

How do I report a death?

Please contact CART on 0300 555 1386 or Out of Hours 0300 555 1373. Or via the professional referral form. You will need to include: name of individual, date of birth, address, Care Director identification number, NHS number (if known), date of death of individual, location of death of individual, and contact details of the referrer.

What happens if someone’s needs change?

Complete the online professional referral form, outlining the changes needed to the individual’s support plan.

I am no longer able to meet someone’s needs. What can I do?

If you are no longer able to meet someone’s care and support needs due to a change in their needs, use the change in needs form. If you are no longer able to meet someone’s care and support needs due to a different reason, contact CART.

Will a case worker/social worker be involved in annual reviews?

Yes, a case worker/social worker should be involved in and contact you to complete an annual review. If a review is required earlier, contact should be made with CART, who will transfer your request to the appropriate operational team.

Will you review the individual within the first 12 weeks to ensure it is the right placement for them?

The aim is that a social care practitioner will complete a review with any individual within a new residential or nursing placement before closing their involvement. The individual should then receive ongoing annual reviews. If a review is required earlier, contact should be made with CART, who will transfer your request to the appropriate operational team.

What will the reviews look like?

A review will involve a discussion between resident, client representative, provider, and practitioner. It will also include a review of care plans and risk assessments held by the provider.

Will existing residents come under the Framework?

No, existing residents will continue on their current contractual terms and rates of pay unless a change in needs triggers the need for a new Care Act assessment.

What happens if we are no longer able to meet someone’s care needs?

If you have been through the change in needs process but you are no longer able to meet someone’s care needs, you are able to serve 28 days’ notice to Hampshire County Council.

I need to temporarily close admissions. Who do I need to tell?

Update your vacancy management tool to indicate that you have no vacancies. You will also need to inform the Commissioning Team via [email protected].

I want to end a placement. How much notice do I need to give?

If you wish to end a placement but this is not due to you no longer being able to meet someone’s care needs, you will need to give six months’ notice.

Someone needs some equipment. What can I do?

It is a contractual requirement that you, as the provider, source and procure any equipment to meet someone’s care and support needs. If you are struggling to source equipment, contact the Commissioning Team via [email protected].

I have a COVID outbreak. What should I do?

You should follow appropriate government Infection, Prevention and Control advice. If you wish to stop taking admissions, update your vacancy information and ensure you inform Hampshire County Council via CART.

I want to end a placement. How much notice do I need to give?

This will depend on your reason for wishing to end the placement. If this is due to being unable to meet someone’s care and support needs, a minimum of 28 days’ notice must be given, however, we would hope to work with you before you reach this point. In other circumstances, six months’ notice must be given. Further information on notice periods can be found in your contract.

What about my existing Hampshire County Council funded residents?

Any existing Hampshire County Council funded individuals will be paid automatically at the start of every month. They will continue to be paid at their existing rate and under their original terms and conditions. They will receive the same uplift rate as new individuals in your service. The new contractual terms will only apply to new Hampshire County Council funded clients.

I am de-registering my home. Who do I need to tell?

Contact the Contracts Team via [email protected].

I have a new registered manager. Who do I need to inform?

Update your details using the contacts form.

General residential and nursing care queries received by Adults’ Health and Care

You can find a set of general FAQs for care providers on our provider website.

How do I register on In-tend?

Visit the intend website. Click on ‘Register’, then complete your company’s details. Submit your details by selecting the ‘Register My Company’ button at the bottom of the page.

How do I register for the Care Home Framework?

1. Log into In-tend using the account you have set up.
2. Select ‘Tenders – Current’ on the Toolbar.
3. Once open, you can search for AS15180 in the search bar or scroll through the titles alphabetically to find the Care Home Framework.
4. When you have found the correct project, click ‘View Details’.
5. Once on the next page, you can express interest. This allows you to go into the opportunity and apply.
6. When you have expressed an interest in the Care Home Framework, you will need to click on the ‘Tender Management’ tab to apply to join the Framework.
7. The ‘Tender Management’ tab shows all the tenders you have expressed an interest in.
8. Click on ‘View details’.
9. The first tab is an overview screen.
10. The second tab contains the tender documents and questionnaire. This includes the Service Specification.
11. The questionnaires are in a section below the rest of the documents.
12. Read all the documents and complete the questionnaire within In-tend and upload the standard forms in the upload section.
13. Then select 'Submit Return'
14. When your enrolment application for the Framework has been accepted you will receive an award letter through the correspondence function.

How do I register for the long-term care call-off?

When your enrolment application for the Framework has been accepted, you will receive an award letter through the correspondence function. You will then be attached to the long-term care call-off. You will receive an automated In-tend email to alert you to this. Return to In-tend and in ‘My Tenders’ you should now have a second opportunity showing AS15180A – Long-term Care. Fill in the questionnaires and submit.

Will you accept homes onto the Framework that have a CQC rating of 'Inadequate'?

No, we will not accept homes onto the long-term call-off that have a CQC rating of 'Inadequate'.