Market Position Statements (MPS)

Market Context 

The Extra Care service provision offers accommodation that provides on-site care and support for adults 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This allows for living in a safe property with self-contained apartments in a well-maintained scheme in the heart of the community. This is purpose built and tailored to the needs of older adults and adults with disabilities. 

The Extra Care scheme helps to adults to achieve independence for adults by enabling them to be part of the community, which achieves wider positive outcomes. 

Current Market Status 

The Council currently has a contract with on-site care and support with the provider (Hartwig) at each of the 4 extra care schemes at which placements are made by Adult Social Care. There are 2 different landlords (L&Q and Housing 21) for the 4 extra care schemes. 

Currently, there are 148 units across the 4 extra care schemes which include Verdon Roe, Dames Road, Windmill Court and Baytree House. The current contracts end at the end of June 2026.  

Provider Dimension 

The council’s model of Extra Care is two-fold:  

• The core element consists of staff present on-site 24/7 to ensure that emergencies can be responded to quickly and that unplanned support can be delivered to residents. 
•  The flex element consists of staff responding to individual packages of care, similar to how the homecare model operates. 

Market Data & Insight  

The information shown in the table(s) above is correct as of 1st January 2024.  

Market Risks 

Current market risks include:  

• Increased void levels – this increases the financial risks for registered providers. 
• Increase in the cost of care due to increases in minimum wage and costs of living. 
• Challenges with recruitment and retention of carers. However, extra care can provide an attractive working environment. 

Current Areas of Focus 

Our current area of focus is to: 

• Ensure that we minimise voids. By ensuring that the offer of extra care is right for our residents and ensure that panel decisions on new nominations are made quickly.  
• Develop step down and discharge to assess models to reduce admissions to residential care.  
• Support providers with workforce challenges by continuing to have a good working relationship with them and provide support through any initiatives which may be on offer at the time central and local government.   

Commissioning Intentions 

Current Extra Care provision in Waltham Forest is of high quality. The Council is committed to working with providers to support high quality, social rent Extra Care Sheltered and Step-Down Housing in-borough. The Council sees maintaining and supporting quality Extra Care Housing provision as a key component of delivering an enabling and independence-oriented care offer for older people and supporting the wider healthcare system via faster hospital discharges. We are also working closely with Care Provider Voice to support partnership working and provide support to our care provider markets. 

There are currently no planned procurement exercises related to commissioning of Extra Care Housing. The Council are always keen to hear from and work with prospective developer and provider partners who share our vision and who are interested in developing further capacity. The Council’s Extra Care provision provides a key partnership with Health and Social Care to support the hospital discharge pathway, promote independence and reduce the need for residents to move to care homes.