Sensing Change provides social care services for adults with sight and/or hearing loss in Suffolk. They were piloting independence from Suffolk County Council. Asset Based Finance and Leasing Ltd (ABFL) evaluated Sensing Change's business strategy, planning, and viability to assess if they could operate independently. ABFL's assessment found Sensing Change could continue delivering value for money if they transitioned to full independence. The findings were proposed to Suffolk County Council and the Department of Health for reviewal. Subject to approval, Sensing Change will transition to independent operation supported by a commissioning agreement from April 2014.

1. Asset Based Finance and Leasing Ltd
Business Address: Crystal House, 72 Central Avenue, Pinner, Middx, HA5 5BP
Tel: 020 8866 0961 Mob 07739 329538 www.abfl-ltd.co.uk
Registered Office: 78 Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 1PP
English Company Registered No: 6464914 E & OE
UK VAT Reg. No: 925 0047 52
DUNS Number: 21-103-5379
Registered by the Office of Fair Trading Reg. No: 612817
Member of National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers
Case Study: Sensing Change / Suffolk County Council
Client: Sensing Change/Suffolk County
Council
Location: United Kingdom
Client Contact: Caroline Carr
Consultant: Mike Deacon
Assignment Type: Consulting
Discipline: Business Strategy
Sector: Local Government
Challenge:
Sensing Change provides statutory adult social care services (social work rehabilitation and support) to adults
with sight and/or hearing loss in Suffolk. The team provides niche sensory loss support services worth
£1.8million per annum in Suffolk. Staff within Sensing Change previously worked for Suffolk County Council’s
Sensory Team but began to spin-out when they successfully became one of the Department of Health’s Social
Work Practice Pilots. The team went ‘live’ in October 2011 and was the first of the social work pilot sites to do
so under the aegis of the Department of Health http://www.scie.org.uk/workforce/socialworkpractice/pilots.asp
The team has developed its own strategic commissioning model, and works independently of the Council.
Solution:
Working as part of the consortium team led by TPP Law - Geldards LLP, ABFL (through Mike Deacon) worked
closely with Sensing Change to evaluate progress and to assess business viability to be proposed to the
divestment team at Suffolk County Council, for full mutualisation. The business strategy, planning and viability
assessment was led by ABFL within the team. Sensing Change has had its service delivery and overall business
assessed to ensure that as it now operates, it can continue to give value for money for users, and the
community at large.
Results:
The findings were submitted to Sensing Change in September 2013. This has been proposed to the Council
and to the Department of Health for evaluation. Should this outcome be positive, a transition and
implementation phase will commence to ensure Sensing Change is ready to trade independently from April
2014, underpinned by a commissioning agreement for services from Suffolk County Council.
Case Study Date: September 2013