Southwark's Market Sustainability Plan

Section 3: Plans for 65+ care home and 18+ homecare markets to address sustainability issues

Plans for 65+ care home market to address the market sustainability issues set out above.

By March 2024

40. There will be an increase nursing care provision by at least 30 rooms and reablement care beds will be opened. 
41. The council will have identified a site for development for a new care home and identified a delivery partner.
42. Additionally, over 80% of residents in 65+ care homes and in the borough will be living in a RCC compliant care home.

By March 2025

43. The delivery-partner will have planning permission and be on site developing a new nursing home.

By March 2026

44. The development of a new nursing home will be completed.

Other care services that will support the experience and outcomes of our 65+ residents

45. In addition to the above, the council is considering options to deliver additional extra care (known locally as flexi-care) housing through further investment – as detailed in the Southwark Housing Strategy. This is an alternative model of care provision for older people (65+) who can live independently on their own but need the reassurance of 24-hour support from specialist care teams at larger flexi-care developments.
46. A scheme being built on the Aylesbury Estate, as part of a wider regeneration project, is due to have an additional 54 flexi/extra care units. This is scheduled for completion in 2023.
47. As part of wider work on the policies and procedures of flexi care provision, the eligibility criteria has been widened to enable both current and future provision to consider a greater range of residents within provision.
48. The age range has changed from those aged 65 and over to now consider those aged 40 and over with the Flexi Care Panel reserving the right to consider referrals for adults aged under 40 on a case-by-case basis.

Plans for 18+ homecare market to address the market sustainability issues set out above.

49. Southwark is fortunate to have a good supply of providers willing to work with the council within our Ethical Care Charter framework.  The market challenges in Southwark for domiciliary care relate to workforce capability and capacity to respond to the increase in acuity of need leading to increased demand and in particular an increase in double-handed care.  The council is addressing this through demand management and building on the council’s success in relation to community-based reablement by opening bed-based reablement during 23/24.  In addition, the council will use its Care at Home Provider Forum to explore how we support the workforce to respond to the changing needs in our population.

Summary of the council’s assessment of and plans for the 65+ care home and 18+ domiciliary care markets

50. Since 2014, the council has been working with the 18+ domiciliary market to ensure that those who receive council funded care are supported by staff who are committed to, and recognised for, the important work that they do. 
51. Since 2018, the council has turned its attention to applying the learning from the implementation of Southwark’s Ethical Care Charter to the residential care market.  The creation of Southwark’s Residential Care Charter includes the creation of a fund, known as the Southwark Supplement, to ensure that the council’s ambition are supported by investment in the workforce.
52. Whilst the transformation of contracting with the domiciliary care market for (adults and children) is complete, there is more to do in the 65+ care home sector and the plans set out in section 3 are on track to ensure that our ambitions are for provision and the workforce for the benefit of our residents are realised.

Page last updated: 27 March 2023