Haringey Council has committed to paying the London Living Wage in its new contract for the Integrated Community Equipment Service, ensuring fair compensation for workers providing essential services to residents.

The decision was made during a Cabinet Member Signing meeting on Wednesday, 10 September 2025, where the council approved the award of a contract to a new provider for the service. The contract is a short-term twelve-month provision to ensure continuity of provision, with optional extensions available at the discretion of the Council, allowing for close monitoring of the supplier and the ability to make changes if needed. The contract is valued at a maximum of £4.5 million for the first year and includes the option to extend for two additional years. Haringey's share of mobilisation costs is estimated at £62,500.

The Integrated Community Equipment Service provides a range of equipment, from low-cost items like raised toilet seats and grab rails, to more costly items such as specialist beds, hoists, pressure care equipment and mattresses. The service also undertakes repairs, maintenance and collections of items.

The new contract arrangement will be managed via the North London Equipment Partnership (NLEP), a consortium with seven other London boroughs. While each borough will contract with the provider independently, the partnership will support joint management of the provider relationship and shared commissioning approaches.

The move comes after the previous provider, Nottinghamshire Rehab Ltd (trading as NRS Healthcare), entered compulsory liquidation on 1 August 2025, creating an urgent need to secure continuity of community equipment services. According to a report presented at the meeting, delays in providing or repairing equipment can lead to serious harm or death of residents and impede patient flow out of hospitals.

Alternative options, such as developing an in-house offer or conducting a competitive procurement process, were considered but deemed unfeasible due to insufficient resources and time. The report noted that procuring a service of this size and complexity would take a minimum of 18 months.

The Public reports pack stated that the Community Equipment Service is crucial for meeting the council's and the NHS's statutory duties under the Care Act 2014 and the NHS Act 2006. The service aims to:

  • Reduce unscheduled hospital admissions and A&E attendance.
  • Reduce the length of hospital stays.
  • Reduce the costs of long-term care.
  • Promote independence, safety, and quality of life.
  • Improve early years development.
  • Support unpaid carers.

The press and public were excluded from a portion of the meeting because item 7 contained exempt information as defined under paragraph 3, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).