PCD 1494 Grant Funding to NHS for Appropriate Adult Service for Vulnerable Adults Consultancy

PCD 1494 Grant Funding to NHS for Appropriate Adult Service for Vulnerable Adults Consultancy

Executive Summary:

PCD 1463 approved MOPAC to procure a consultant/consultancy to support the design and development of a model for the future of Appropriate Adult services for vulnerable adults, which will include consultation with various partners and those with lived experience of requiring a vulnerable adult. This decision requests to grant fund NHS £45,000 for a consultancy to undertake this design and development work. MOPAC, MPS and NHS are closely working together to agree the future of an Appropriate Adult Service for Vulnerable Adults. ‘Transformation Partners in health and care’ are in place to deliver this work.

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:  

1. Approve grant funding to NHS for consultancy at a maximum cost of £45,000, noting the costs will be incurred in 2023/24.
2. Note that funding will need to be met from existing resources within the C&P budget per PCD 1463.

Approve the grant award to NHS for this consultancy work.

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC

Introduction and background

1.1. The Appropriate Adult Funded Scheme (AAFS) started in 2019, jointly funded for 3 years by MOPAC, MPS and NHSE. The current service is due to end in September 2023 but will be extended until the end of September 2024. The AAFS scheme currently offers a grant to Local Authorities (LAs), with funds released per quarter based on providing the following Appropriate Adult (AA) contractual service for vulnerable adults:

• Available 24hrs a day, 7 days per week.
• Available at all required stages of an investigation, including for pre-arranged suspect interviews held at, and away from police stations, including prisons.
• For all detainees / suspects at locations within a given area, regardless of home address or location of alleged offence.
• The providers of service should be members of the National Appropriate Adult Network (NAAN).

1.2. The decision requests for MOPAC to grant fund NHS (£45,000), to provide specialist input into the design of a model for a future Appropriate Adult service for vulnerable adults London including conducting in depth consultation with partners and vulnerable adults.

2.   Issues for consideration

2.1. MOPAC is working with MPS and NHS to explore future funding opportunities for an Appropriate Adult Service for vulnerable adults. A consultant is required to support this work to understand demand and sufficiency, and develop options for a future delivery model, this will involve in depth consultant with partners. The product of this work will be presented to senior officials across MOPAC, MPS and NHS to agree next steps.

​​​​​​​2.2. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to commission services to provide Appropriate Adults for children but this statutory duty does not include vulnerable adults. This has led to the current service not providing full reach across London with currently only 21 Local Authorities signed up to the AAFS.  This means that only 18 of the 23 MPS 24/7 custody suites are able to access AAs for vulnerable adults 24 hours a day – in some circumstances the MPS use a “call off” provision in those areas which are not covered by the contract. Therefore, the service is inconsistent across London, costly and not meeting the needs of vulnerable adults 24/7.

​​​​​​​2.3. PACE stipulates that the Police cannot commission the provision of AAs directly which has resulted in the current arrangements for boroughs to commission and procure AA services at a local level. The way in which these are delivered differ across London with some having none at all (relying on MPS to pay through call off costs), voluntary schemes or commissioned providers. It is unclear which delivery method is more effective or if new models of delivery could be explored.

​​​​​​​2.4. Demand for the service is also increasing, with needs being better identified and more vulnerable adults understanding their rights. For example, demand in 2016 was 6.06% which by 2020 increased to 14.90%.

​​​​​​​2.5. This work is supportive of the Casey review recommendations, to ensure arrangements are in place to support the most vulnerable adults.

3. Financial Comments

3.1. The grant funding to NHS of £45,000 will be spent in financial years 2023/24.
3.2. Note that funding will need to be met from existing resources within the C&P budget per PCD 1463.

4. Legal Comments

4.1. There are relevant powers set out in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 at sections 17(1) (a) to (c) which place MOPAC under a duty to exercise its functions with due regard to the likely effect of the exercise of those functions on, and the need to do all it can to prevent, crime and disorder (including anti-social and other behaviour adversely affecting the local environment), reoffending in its area, and the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances in its area. The proposed arrangements are consistent with MOPAC’s duties in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

4.2. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all bids for grant funding.

5. Commercial Issues

5.1. A grant agreement will be put in place with the NHS at the maximum value of £45,000 to deliver this work within a maximum of 4 months.

6. Public Health Approach

6.1. This consultancy work for appropriate adults for vulnerable adults will support those with vulnerabilities and identifying those with mental health needs at an early stage through their interaction with the police to ensure support is provided.

7. GDPR and Data Privacy

7.1. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities. 

8.  Equality Comments

8.1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

8.2. An Appropriate adults for vulnerable adults are independent of the police and will support those most vulnerable throughout their interaction with the police. This allows for external challenge to behaviours which may occur by the police as highlighted in the Casey review.

9.  Background/supporting papers

N/A