Written question WQ90150

Local authorities are responsible for meeting the care and support needs of people in their local area. They either provide these services themselves or commission them from external providers. Local authorities agree their own fees rates on an annual basis even if they have worked with other Local Authorities and Providers under ‘Lets Agree to Agree’ to understand the costs of care. Local Authorities will also work in line with their corporate standing orders in the way that they procure their services.

Through our Rebalancing Care and Support Programme we will establish a National Framework for Commissioning Care and Support. This legislative framework sets out principles and standards for commissioning practices and will be established through a statutory Code of Practice and will apply to the commissioning of care and support services by Local Authorities, Local Health Boards and NHS Trusts.

The content of the National Framework has been co-produced by members of a National Technical Group including commissioners and provider representatives. The principles and standards for commissioning practice aim to reduce complexity and rebalance commissioning to focus on quality and outcomes. Further, the development of the National Framework is an important part of our journey towards a National Care and Support Service and provides some of the necessary foundations for its implementation.

Implementation of the National Framework will include putting in place a national toolkit of good practice documents to support commissioners and training and awareness support for commissioners to be able to work in line with the Code of Practice.

The commissioned sector is very important, delivering care to thousands of people across Wales each day. The principles and standards in the Statutory Code of Practice focusses on ‘what matters’ to people and will put people at the heart of commissioning practice.

These are all tangible changes that will make a real difference for people.