The Care Act 2015 gives Local Authorities new market shaping responsibilities to ensure that there are sufficient services of the right quality and type available to meet the needs of Devon people.
The business relations team has a key role, alongside commissioning colleagues, in assisting the Authority to realise these responsibilities. The team acts as a two way conduit of information and suppport between external providers and service commissioners to encourage collaboration and the development of a shared understanding of sufficiency and local social care markets.
This requires the team to foster trusting and collaborative working relationships with providers; to manage differences and disagreements with respect and integrity and to encourage involvement through the PEN, to inform commissioning work.
The team works with existing, new or potential providers across all sectors of the health and social care market, including those in the nursing and residential care home sector, regulated personal support providers working in the community and unregulated service provision (such as enabling and day services).
More information about the ethos and approach of the business relations team can be found here.
The team currently co-ordinates the Provider Engagement Network, in partnership with provider Co Chairs, and communicates with the market through the monthly PENPal newsletters.
If you would like to work more closely with the team, have a query about who to talk to about your business, or have a general question, please contact the social care business relations mailbox in the first instance
Alternately, please feel free to contact the relevent business relations team member or provider Co chair who has a lead for your sector
Nursing & Residential Care Homes – Richard Whilte
Personal Care & Residential Care Homes – Sue Gubb
Unregulated Services & New Business Development – Sam Alford