Welcome
to The Learning Disability Alliance Scotland
WHAT
WE STAND FOR
The
Alliance believes that everyone has the right to be a full
citizen and should:
On 9th September 2008, LDAS and ARC held a conference on competitive tendering. The conference was fully booked with an audience representing service users, local authorities and voluntary organisations.
The plan was to look at how and where tendering does not work, what could be done instead, and finally looking at challenges to the retendering of existing services.
EXPERIENCE FROM WALES
Competitive Tendering rarely delivers the outcomes promised.
- There is less competition than before .
- Dominant national providers are best placed to win contracts so remain in pole position
- Local and specialist organisations lose out.
- Service users face unnecessary disruption and worry for no personal benefit.
- Trained and motivated staff were also lost due to uncertainty.
ALTERNATIVES FROM SCOTLAND
The Scottish Government has a commitment to increase the take up of Self Directed Support
- individuals at the heart of the process
- develops choice & control.
- Efficient, good value for money.
North Lanarkshire Council promotes individual budgets for people with learning disabilities.
- Money on the table first
- Helps people use this for more control and to improve their lives
- Growth in confidence and self esteem
- Achieves best value.
Dumfries And Galloway ensures that social work leads commissioning of services not the procurement section.
- Partnership with the voluntary sector in commissioning services
- Both rely on the other
- Signed up to In Control to offer personalised services
CONCERNS FROM SCOTLAND
Local authorities failing to consult before putting services out to tender.
Individuals told late on in the process.
Voluntary organisation providers are part of an individual’s life with lots of different connections.
There is a possible challenge to the Court of Session over the local authorities failure to consult with .
A CCPS survey found organisations participating in tendering were losing out on price despite being the best in quality.
Huge resources were being sucked in in a process that didn't deliver the benefits claimed for it.
THE WAY FORWARD
Better consultation with service users
In the decision to go out for tender
And how the tender process should be carried out.
People with learning disabilities should be able to speak up for themselves given the right support .
Alternative methods of commissioning include.
