Why Choose us?

1. SP Solutions has wide ranging experience across the housing and social care sectors. We have particular expertise in developing operational and strategic links between different parts of the statutory and provider sectors.
2. SP Solutions is a small company which relies on word of mouth to generate new business. Our reputation for excellence and “doing that little extra” is how we stand out from others in the field.
3. As a small company, we offer a responsive, flexible, hands on service, at very competitive prices. We work in an individual, innovative way and approach each job with fresh eyes. We aim to be pro-active and bring our experience to improve each project we work on.
4. We are keen that our work not only satisfies the needs of organisations and Local Authorities, but also makes a significant difference to the lives of vulnerable people. We choose to work on projects that will be used, rather than just sit on a shelf gathering dust.
5. We will not accept work from an organisation we do not trust or whose core values we do not share.
6. We will not bid for work that we do not have the expertise to do, we would rather point the organisation in the direction of a consultancy better equipped to do it.

Experience

Social Care Commissioning

We have considerable experience of the broader social care commissioning context.

2009/10 Projects include:

• Leading a Personal Budget pilot project for adults with learning disabilities for LB Lewisham
• Developing options appraisal for dealing with funding cuts for Community Services Directorate of an authority
• Researching national approaches to the integration of SP, social care, substance misuse and VCS commissioning for a London authority (the results of which could be made available to this project)
• Developing day opportunities strategy for people with mental health problems for North Tyneside Council
• Developing anti-social behaviour strategy for London Authority
• Developing quality framework for social care for North East Councils. This major RIEP funded project is still underway. Our proposed model is currently being piloted in three North east Authorities
• Developing costing model and options appraisal for rehabilitative approaches to ex-prisoners for Total Place project for LB Lewisham
• Developing and implementing commissioning strategy for substance misuse services for LB Lewisham
• Managing DAAT for LB Lewisham

Supporting People Programme

SP Solutions has provided the Lead Officer function for six Authorities and has worked with 25 Local Authorities on some aspects of the programme. This has given us a range of comparative experience of which to draw.

• We have managed the SP programme for North Tyneside Council (2009-10), LB Lewisham (2007-08), Southend-on-sea Borough Council (2006-07), LB Ealing (2005-06) and LB Redbridge (2005-06)
• We have undertaken various strategic reviews covering housing, support and care needs of various client groups. For example we have undertaken strategic reviews of housing and support provision for single homeless people (Manchester City Council), people with mental health problems (Oxfordshire County Council, LB Ealing, North Tyneside Council and Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames), people with learning disabilities (North Tyneside Council), young people (Borough of Poole Council), older people (LB Lewisham, North East Derbyshire Council, Leicestershire County Council, Northampton Borough Council, LB Camden) offenders

Work With Service Providers

We have worked with 35+ providers of SP services in various aspects of the programme including Mencap, Rethink, London and Quadrant Housing Group, One Housing Group and Thames Reach and In Touch. This work has included business planning, assistance with tenders, contract negotiations and pricing, service reviews, training and acting as “critical friend.”