Flexible Framework for the Provision of Care Homes
Framework Description
Bath & North East Somerset Council is establishing a Flexible Framework for the Provision of Care Homes for adults, covering residential, nursing, dementia, discharge-to-assess and specialist provision for people with learning difficulties, autism and sensory impairment. It is a single-lot framework, coming soon, with an initial term to 31 March 2033 and two 24-month extension options to 31 March 2037.
Context & Use Case
The council and its health partners will use it to place adults in care homes under a Home First approach, including discharge-to-assess beds that help people leave hospital, and specialist placements for dementia, frailty and complex needs. It supports planned and emergency placements across several specialisms, so providers can offer the care types that match their homes.
Scope of Services
Residential care Nursing care Dementia residential and nursing care Discharge-to-assess interim care Learning difficulties and autism provision Sensory impairment provision
Lots
Single lot
Who Can Apply
CQC-registered care home operators in and around Bath & North East Somerset, including dementia and learning disability specialists. The framework is coming soon, so prepare now. It is described as flexible; check the framework page for when new providers can join after it opens.
Buyer Benefits
The council needs appropriate, person-centred placements as complexity rises while funding and workforce stay tight. A flexible framework gives it a broad provider base across specialisms, supports hospital discharge, and helps keep the local care market sustainable, with consistent quality standards across every home it uses.
Next Steps
Read the notice on Find a Tender (083499-2026) and the council's Market Position Statement for its commissioning priorities. Prepare CQC registration and ratings, specialist dementia or learning disability evidence, staffing and training data, and pricing that reflects the specialisms you will offer.
How Athena Can Help
Care home frameworks run for many years, so a strong first submission matters. Athena's care sector bidding advice helps decide which specialisms to offer and how to price them sustainably, and our framework preparation for care providers pulls together CQC evidence, policies and case studies before the tender opens.
Our bid writers for social care then draft person-centred quality answers and run a Bid Health Check before submission, so weak answers are fixed in time.
