I am writing to request the following information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 relating to the use of agency staff in Adult Social Care and Children’s Services.
1. Agency spend
Please provide the total spend on agency staffing for the following financial years:
• 2022/23
• 2023/24
• 2024/25 (to date)
2. Spend breakdown
a) Spend by staff group, e.g.:
• Adult Social Workers
• Children’s Social Workers
• Residential Care Workers
• Home Care / Support Workers
• Nurses (if applicable)
b) Spend by agency/supplier for the same periods.
3. Vendor model
Do you use a Master Vendor or Neutral Vendor model for agency staffing in Adult or Children’s Social Care?
• If yes, please provide:
o The supplier’s name
o The council services in scope (Adults / Children’s / both)
o Contract start date
o Contract end date (and any extension periods)
4. Preferred Supplier List (PSL)
Do you operate a Preferred Supplier List (PSL) for agency staff in Adult and/or Children’s Social Care?
• If yes, please provide:
o A list of the agencies on the PSL
o The original start date of the PSL or framework
o The current expiry/renewal date
o The procurement route used (e.g. CCS, ESPO, regional framework, own tender)
5. Frameworks / contracts
Please provide details of any frameworks or contracts currently used for the provision of agency staff in Adult and Children’s Social Care, including:
• Framework or contract name
• Provider(s) or host authority
• Start date
• Expiry date
• Any known or planned retender date, if available
6. Rates
Please provide the current charge rates or rate card for agency staff used in Adult and Children’s Social Care, including where applicable:
• Qualified Social Workers – Adults (by level if available)
• Qualified Social Workers – Children’s (by level if available)
• Residential Care Workers / Support Workers
• Home Care / Domiciliary Care Workers
• Nurses (if applicable)
If a full rate card is not available, please provide indicative typical hourly charge rates for the above groups.
7. Contact
Please provide the role title (not personal contact details) of the officer(s) responsible for:
• Agency staffing / workforce commissioning in Adult Social Care
• Agency staffing / workforce commissioning in Children’s Services
• Corporate procurement / vendor management for staffing frameworks
If possible, please also confirm which team (e.g. Commissioning, Procurement, HR, Resourcing) leads on these arrangements.