This is not a call for competition and is not yet a contract opportunity.

Market Engagement Webinar.

Eight South West Local Authorities are seeking interest from organisations that would like to manage and co-ordinate Shared Lives across their joint geographic areas.

The eight Local Authorities are Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Plymouth, Torbay, Somerset and Wiltshire.

Shared Lives is an alternative to home care and care homes for people in need of support.

Shared Lives offers a personalised model of care and support where carers share their lives and in most cases their homes with those they support.

Shared Lives Carers are self-employed paid subcontractors to the Shared Lives Scheme which is regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

Across the eight authorities there is currently a total of 537 Shared Lives arrangements; approximately 94% of these are for adults with a learning disability.

Each of the eight authorities wish to see the use of Shared Lives grow and expanded to other customer groups, with the largest authorities wishing to see significant levels of growth.

A joint approach will be taken to the performance management of delivery.

There will also be an expectation that people who use the scheme and carers will be involved in the running of the scheme and monitoring quality.

The eight authorities are intending to run a procurement process during 2017 coordinated by a lead authority.

Webinar Details A Market Engagement webinar has been arranged for Friday 17th March 2017 and we are inviting organisations that might consider taking part in this process.

The event will enable a dialogue about the future service between representatives of the eight local authorities and any interested organisations.

Organisations that take part will not be advantaged or disadvantaged in any way in any potential future formal procurement.

Commercial confidentiality will be respected.

This notice does not represent a formal commitment by any of the eight local authorities to undertake a procurement procedure.

Event Details Date : Friday 17th March 2017 Time: 1:00pm to 3:00pm Venue: Webinar - joining instructions provided on registration Event Registration: To register for the webinar, please email smiles2@somerset.gov.uk providing the name of your organisation, the name(s) of person(s) wishing to attend and contact email address.

If you are unable to attend the event the presentation and notes will be available through the e tender system ProContract.