A spreadsheet-based tool has been developed to help social workers cost residential care packages for working age adults.
Local Authority Adult Social Care departments in the South West are now using a Fair Pricing Tool in negotiations with providers when purchasing adult residential placements. An associated Provider and Placement Database has also been developed for sourcing vacancies and holding records of placements made.
How Does The Fair Pricing Tool Work?
The Fair Pricing Tool analyses two components of a residential care placement: accommodation costs and care costs. Accommodation costs include hotel costs, overheads, maintenance costs etc, and are generally fixed costs. Care costs however vary according to the individual’s requirements. The tool allocates an hourly cost according to the level of staff support that a service user needs during the day and at night, and any additional costs that are specific to their condition. Once the exact care needs of the individual are entered, the tool produces a guide price for the placement which is then used in negotiations with providers.
The tool has been refined through piloting and costs have been benchmarked against figures from various research units, as well as against local South West prices. The tool was also discussed with to a Provider Reference Group as part of a consultation exercise in May 2006.Over 300 care workers across 13 authorities have now been trained to use the tool.
How Does the Database Work?
The Provider and Placements Database has been developed - using local authority funding - to assist partnership working between authorities and providers. It has not been developed as a business venture. It holds information about providers in the south west that can be searched by social workers looking for vacancies and also a record of service users placed by authorities which includes a profile of their needs/characteristics and a copy of their FPT.
All providers of residential services for adults with learning disabilities in the south west are eligible to register.Any provider wishing to register to be on the database should contact either the Helpdesk or the Information Officer; all contact details are at the end of this page. There is no charge to register and the process is quick and easy.So far nearly 800 providers have registered their details.
Use of the Toolkit by Authorities – Mental Health Pilot
The FPT and Database are already used widely across the south west by county and unitary authorities when finding and making placements for working age adults with learning disabilities.We are currently running a pilot to test use of the toolkit in mental health placements (also working age adults).We have implemented some enhancements to the database to allow for this and are using the FPT in its current format.A small number of authorities has agreed to run test cases for us using the tool and database to ascertain if any changes are required.However, the database has already been updated to accommodate providers of mental health services so any provider wishing to register is able to do so immediately and will show up if any authority (whether involved in the full pilot or not) searches for a vacancy.If you are a provider and would like to register your home please contact the project office on the details below.
Helpdesk Contact Details
Due to limited funding we cannot provide a telephone helpdesk that is always manned during office hours, however we will endeavour to answer your queries as quickly as possible. Therefore, we very much appreciate your patience when waiting for a response to your queries.
Information Sheets and Frequently Asked Questions guides have been developed to assist you with some of the common queries that you may have; these are available as downloads from this page. If you are still having problems after consulting these documents please contact the email Helpdesk or the Information Officer.
Email Helpdesk:
helpdesk@swaldaccommodation.org
Information Officers:
Vanessa Jenns
C/o Gloucestershire County Council
Shire Hall
Westgate Street
Gloucester
GL1 2TG
01452 426153 or 07876 132370 (Vanessa Jenns)vanessa.jenns@gloucestershire.gov.uk
For access to the members' area, or for further information on the Fair Pricing Tool please contact Helen Maunder
