Issue details

The London Consortium Community Equipment Framework, managed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster City Council, appointed Nottingham Rehab Services (NRS) to the framework in April 2023.

H&F is one of twenty-one Local Authorities across London who are part of the consortium agreement and ‘called off’ a contract with Nottingham Rehab Services (NRS) for the provision of services.

NRS went into insolvency on 1^st August 2025. The report seeks approval to enter new contractual arrangements for the provision of this service.

Reasons for Urgency

The Council’s Community Equipment Provider went into court ordered insolvency on 1^st August 2025. The Council do not have the capacity or capability to deliver a like for like service in house. An urgent decision is required to allow the Council to move to a new provider and meet our statutory duties. Local authorities have a statutory duty under various legislation including the Care Act 2014, and the Children and Families Act 2014, to make arrangements for the provision of disability aids and community equipment, to meet the assessed eligible needs of individuals who are resident in their area. The provision of community equipment supports residents to remain as independent as possible for as long as possible and is both a statutory requirement and important in delivering key strategic system priorities to support hospital discharge and prevention.