Micro Provision
Market Context
The Somerset Micro-enterprise programme aims to support the development of very small, community-based care and support services that:
- Provide personal, flexible and responsive support and care.
- Give local people more choice and control over the support they get.
- Offer an alternative to more traditional services.
To be a micro-enterprise they must have eight or fewer paid or unpaid workers and be totally independent of any larger organisation. Examples of micro-services could include:
- Support to keep well, socialise and remain independent.
- Support to people living in their own homes.
- Short breaks and holidays
- Support to access employment, education and leisure
- Day support and help around the home.
The Council operates an accredited micro provider scheme; we offer advice and support, and we request providers sign up to our “Doing It Right Quality Standards”.
Market Rating
Market Quality: Good
Market Supply: Good
Demand: Rising
Commissioner ambitions: To increase the number, type and variety of supports or services that people can choose to stay well, live well or get well at home or out of hospital.
We will do this through an asset based community development approach to commissioning – Building community partnerships with grassroots community associations in Somerset to deliver infrastructure support (capacity building & care connection, localised approach to quality) that delivers an improved menu of personalised, high quality services and supports in Somerset .
Market workforce: Growing
Market maturity: Maturing
Current market status
The micro-provider market in Somerset has grown rapidly in Somerset supported by a support and registration service that sets and enforces a centralised approach to quality (Somerset Quality Standards). This increased capacity supports a majority of self funders (72%) giving local, personalised options that prevent, avoid delay people requiring formal social care. This increased menu of choice has supported a 119% increase in direct payments over the last 4 years, moving Somerset from 80th to 5th in National ASCOF measures of the % of people taking a direct payment. Micro providers tend to be self-employed and have increasingly self-organised forming local networks and associations in Somerset.
Somerset recognises the different roles of micro providers, and the home care sector and need to support both to work collaboratively to deliver the support people require.
Market Data
All data is as at
Number of Micro-providers:
Number of Hours Delivered:
Number of People Supported:
Average Cost of a Micro-provider:
% of people supported with a Direct Payment:
Distance from desired commissioning objectives
Micro-providers are, and for the foreseeable will continue to be, a key element in how the Council supports people. The micro-provider market has experienced rapid growth since it was established, and commissioning objectives are evolving in recognition that the market is maturing. This maturity is characterised by an increase in the development of grassroots community associations, charities and parish councils who have adopted micro-provider networks to facilitate local information and care exchange. Somerset will continue to support and devolve activity to a local level.
Market Risks
- People using Micro-providers without good information about the risks and responsibilities for using services that sit outside of CQC registration
- Social Care Professionals inappropriately using Micro-providers in situations where registered services are required
- The increased numbers of Micro-providers operating out of scope of Somerset Council, standards, quality assurance and peer support networks
- Micro-providers accepting work requests that they are not trained, competent or confident with.
- People setting up as micro-providers without the right values, training or experience.
Current areas of focus for commissioners
- Using technology to streamline the existing micro-provider support offer.
- Working with partners such as NACAS to design and launch a national vetting and accreditation scheme, that will replace our current processes, giving Micro-providers the ability to upload documents, receive and ID badge access benefits.
- Work with The Somerset Community Foundation to enable local micro-provider networks to connect with their communities and develop sustainable designs to support micro-provider development.
- Developing and agreeing a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’, signed by health and social care leaders to include the detail of how this model will work moving forward as it matures, and how the health and care system can support the safe and appropriate use of Micro-providers using ‘trusted routes’ for care connection at a local level.