Issue - meetings

Background:

This report proposed that the Council pool budgets with Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (MCCG) to deliver Speech and Language Therapy services to school aged children and young people whose statements of special educational need included these services. 

It was recommended that MCCG commission Speech and Language Therapy services and that these arrangements be governed by MCCG entering into an agreement with the Council pursuant to Section 75 National Health Service Act 2006. It was noted that both the Council and MCCG currently purchased Speech and Language Therapy services from Medway Community Healthcare Trust.

It was reported that the service specification was being clarified to ensure those children with the greatest assessed need obtained the statutory support.  The service specification also allowed for additional funding from MCCG, above and beyond the group’s statutory duties, to complement those services funded by Medway Council.

Members were advised that an additional investment of £77,532 would enable Medway Council to fulfil the Council’s legal obligations to meet the needs of children and young people whose statement of SEN or Education, Health and Care plans included speech and language therapy. By jointly commissioning this service, financial efficiencies would be realised. In addition to the above, MCCG had agreed a specific budget for children with primary health needs. It was noted that the additional investment from the Council was likely to reduce from September 2014 if the Children and Families Bill became law; as this would impose on MCCG a new duty to meet the needs of these children.

An exempt appendix set details of the finance and whole-life costings, together with tender evaluation information.

Reasons:

The decision above will ensure that the council’s statutory responsibility are met with regard to the provision of Speech and Language Therapy for school age children.