Purpose

Home First Positive Step Adult Social Care
Assessment Unit is currently located in Bentley. The service forms
part of the Home First suite of services supporting hospital
discharges and avoidance providing a total of 30 short term
assessment placements.
Positive Step has a contract with Bentley Surgery which is due for
renewal March 2024. This 24-hour service supports the setting
providing planned and unplanned cover. The service continues to
provide a fast turnover of admissions and the support needs of the
patients remains complex with significantly increased levels of
acuity.
Due to the increased pressure across the system within Doncaster,
the GP contract provides additional medical support to Positive
Step. The service would not be able to function safely without this
cover and it is imperative that the Council continues with the
current GP contract arrangements for the GP intervention in this
setting.
At present the GP contract is delivered by Bentley Surgery. They
currently provide a weekly on-site ward round, callout in emergency
situations, telephone advice and repeat and new prescriptions
during the hours of Monday to Friday. The contract has a level of
flexibility built in so that it can be flexed to meet the needs of
the service.
This contract has worked well but has been extended the maximum
number of times. The continuance of the GP contract is essential
for reducing the risk to patients and possible re-admissions; the
ability to accept referrals from the more complex patients;
reducing the need to restrict beds and reducing the length of
stay.
Positive Step is currently funded by the Better Care Fund and there
is sufficient money within the current budget to fund the medical
cover which is estimated circa approx. per year.
Discussions took place with Head of Service for Home First back in
September 2023, which gave approval to direct award this contract
to enable a larger piece of work to be undertaken around Home First
options aligning with strategy around Home First, Home from
Hospital and reablement. As this person is no longer in post, we
have discussed further with the current Interim Head of Service for
Home
First, who has agreed with the decision and provided approval to
direct award this contract.

Content

To direct award in line with new Provider
Selection Regime a contract for GP cover for Positive Step Social
Care Assessment Unit. The value of the service will be approx. per
year for an initial period of 24 months with an option to extend
for a further 1 x 12 months, taking the potential contract value to
approx.