FOI Request - Homecare Services

Request 101002818739

We ask you to provide the information described below, including the prices paid to independent and voluntary sector Homecare Providers for the provision of regulated Homecare services delivered to people aged 65 years or above in their own home during the seven-day Reference Period which includes Monday, 19 April 2021.

The information requested is:

(a)  The lowest rate per hour paid to any individual Homecare Provider during the Reference Period, expressed in pounds and pence per hour.

(b)  The highest rate per hour paid to any individual Homecare Provider during the Reference Period, expressed in pounds and pence per hour.

(c)  The average (“arithmetic mean”) price per hour paid to all Homecare Providers for all hours of homecare services purchased during the Reference Period, expressed in pounds and pence per hour.

(d)  The total hours of Homecare purchased from all Homecare Providers during the Reference Period.

(e)  The total hours of Homecare purchased from all homecare providers during a seven-day period which includes Monday, 20th April 2020 (i.e. the figure which provides a like-for-like comparison with item (d), above, for the previous year).

(f)  Your organisation’s total spend on Homecare Services purchased from all Homecare Providers during the Reference Period.

(g)  In relation to contracts held with independent and voluntary sector Homecare Providers:

(i)  Whether your organisation has imposed a contractual requirement that any Homecare Provider pay their workers an hourly rate above the prevailing rate of the statutory National Minimum Wage (including the statutory National Living Wage).  Please answer “Yes” or “No”.

(ii)  The minimum pay rate specified, in pounds and pence per hour, if the answer to question (g)(i), above, was “Yes”.

(h)  In relation to how you have calculated the price(s) you pay for Homecare:

(i)  Whether, in the financial years 2019-20, 2020-21 or 2021-22, you have undertaken a numerical calculation of the hourly cost of a homecare service to assure yourself that the price(s) you pay to independent and voluntary sector Homecare Providers covers their costs and expectations of a profit or surplus.  Please answer “yes” or “no”.

(ii)  If your answer to question (h)(i) was “yes”, please supply a copy of the most recent numerical calculation referred to in your answer, including the financial year to which it relates.  For the avoidance of doubt, this question asks you to supply a numerical calculation, rather than a narrative description of the factors which you have considered in setting the prices paid.

Definitions:

Terms defined below in the singular include the plural, unless otherwise stated.

Homecare should be interpreted as referring to social care and support services delivered in people’s own homes. This service may also be known as ‘domiciliary care’ or ‘care at home’.

Homecare Provider refers to an independent and voluntary sector organisation providing Homecare registered by any of the following national statutory regulators:

• The Care Quality Commission (CQC)
• Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)
• The Care Inspectorate
• The Registration and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA)

Reference Period means any period of seven consecutive days which includes Monday, 19 April 2021.

In relation to the lowest, highest and average prices paid to Homecare Providers in questions (a) to (0), you should note that our assumption is that your answers will include careworkers’ travel time and mileage costs, unless you advise us to the contrary.  You may, at your discretion, provide any qualifying statements or clarification about the figures returned in your reply to these questions.

Response 06-07-21

(a)  The lowest rate per hour paid to any individual Homecare Provider during the Reference Period, expressed in pounds and pence per hour.
£17.87

(b)  The highest rate per hour paid to any individual Homecare Provider during the Reference Period, expressed in pounds and pence per hour.
£22

(c)  The average ("arithmetic mean") price per hour paid to all Homecare Providers for all hours of homecare services purchased during the Reference Period, expressed in pounds and pence per hour.
£19.12

(d)  The total hours of Homecare purchased from all Homecare Providers during the Reference Period.
5326.9 hours.

(e)  The total hours of Homecare purchased from all homecare providers during a seven-day period which includes Monday, 20th April 2020 (i.e. the figure which provides a like-for-like comparison with item (d), above, for the previous year).
4592.25 hours

(f)  Your organisation's total spend on Homecare Services purchased from all Homecare Providers during the Reference Period.
£118,612

(g)  In relation to contracts held with independent and voluntary sector Homecare Providers:

(i)  Whether your organisation has imposed a contractual requirement that any Homecare Provider pay their workers an hourly rate above the prevailing rate of the statutory National Minimum Wage (including the statutory National Living Wage).  Please answer "Yes" or "No".
Yes

(ii)  The minimum pay rate specified, in pounds and pence per hour, if the answer to question (g)(i), above, was "Yes".
£9.50

(h)  In relation to how you have calculated the price(s) you pay for Homecare:

(i)  Whether, in the financial years 2019-20, 2020-21 or 2021-22, you have undertaken a numerical calculation of the hourly cost of a homecare service to assure yourself that the price(s) you pay to independent and voluntary sector Homecare Providers covers their costs and expectations of a profit or surplus.  Please answer "yes" or "no".
No

(ii)  If your answer to question (h)(i) was "yes", please supply a copy of the most recent numerical calculation referred to in your answer, including the financial year to which it relates.  For the avoidance of doubt, this question asks you to supply a numerical calculation, rather than a narrative description of the factors which you have considered in setting the prices paid.

N/A

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