ASC Placement Officer

Job Overview

The ASC Placement Officer is responsible for the identification and sourcing of the most cost effective service, at the best price, to meet the eligible needs of the customer as assessed by the customer's key worker, including community care services funded by the CHC. The role is responsible for ensuring that all purchasing activity is contract compliant and undertaken in line with individual commissioning arrangements.

Key Responsibilities

• Sourcing cost effective support for an individual
• Identify and arrange support for an individual as assessed by the individual's key worker
• Ensure support is in place within agreed timelines as set out in the team processes and procedures
• Ensure that options considered are cost effective and at the best price, making use of existing contracts and block arrangements where appropriate, and the tools and systems provided in line with team processes and procedures
• Negotiate transparent and cost effective fees for support where an existing contract is not in place, ensuring quality is maintained
• Where individualised services outside of existing contracts are required, and the service response is not highly specialised, identify options for operational services, managing the appropriate purchasing processes with the provider
• Ensure reports and information from the CQC and other authorities are used to check potential providers and the quality of care they deliver

Contract Management

• Issue and terminate individual service contracts / Purchase Orders
• Where support is arranged, individual service contracts / purchase orders are raised, recorded accurately on Mosaic, and issued in a timely manner
• Ensure customers personal financial situations are taken into account in the individual service contract, including any third party top up arrangements, and ensure these are transparently and accurately recorded on Mosaic
• Ensure any other funding contributions such as FNC are taken into account in the individual service contract, and ensure these are transparently and accurately recorded on Mosaic
• Ensure all contractual arrangements are made and authorised in line with the Council's financial authorisations and delegated authority limits

Collaboration

• Work collaboratively with care management to implement agreed changes to an individual's support plan
• Liaise with providers and an individual's key worker to ensure that assessed changes to an individual's support are implemented
• Support care management to negotiate a fair fee where changes arise
• Ensure updated individual service contracts / purchase orders are issued
• Ensure Mosaic is updated accurately and in a timely manner with the changes made

Technical Knowledge and Experience

• IT literate and able to work with different systems and databases, including good excel skills
• Good communication and negotiation skills working with different stakeholders
• Knowledge of Adult Social Care and relevant business processes
• Knowledge of relevant social care legislation and regulation
• Knowledge of relevant statutory / regulatory bodies such as the CQC
• Knowledge of the range of options available for supporting individuals such as Care Homes, Extra Care, Homecare etc
• Understanding of contract compliance and of individual commissioning responsibility
• Experience of working in a social care setting
• Experience of negotiating with providers in an social care setting
• Ability to calculate and negotiate a fair price for support within the boundaries of council policy
• Ability to exercise judgement and expertise in negotiating variations to individual contracts and fees