How to Write a Clear Service Model for a Home Care Tender

August 9, 2025

Your service model is the backbone of a high-scoring home care tender. Commissioners want to see how support flows in real life — not slogans, but the steps, roles, checks and outcomes that make it safe and reliable.

🧭 Map the Journey: Referral ➜ Assessment ➜ Start of Support ➜ Review

Show the pathway end to end with who does what and when:

Referral & triage: how referrals are received, risk-screened and allocated (incl. urgent/rapid response).
Assessment & planning: joint visit, capacity/consent, risk assessment, care & support plan creation.
Service start: welcome call, first-visit checks, MAR reconciliation, equipment verification.
Ongoing review: daily notes → supervisor checks → formal review (4–6 weeks, then scheduled).

Tip: a simple bullet timeline scores better than paragraphs of prose.

👥 Staffing & Continuity: Who Turns Up and How You Keep It Consistent

Team model: small, consistent worker pool per person; named coordinator; escalation on absence.
Matching: skills, language, cultural fit and travel time baked into scheduling rules.
Continuity safeguards: % continuity KPI, back‑up rota, call monitoring and late/failed-visit alerts.

Make it measurable: “We maintain >85% worker continuity; missed visits <0.2% per month with root‑cause analysis.”

⏱️ Visit Structure: What ‘Good’ Looks Like at the Door

Arrival: electronic check‑in, ID verification, quick wellbeing check.
Delivery: timed tasks from support plan, dignity and choice prompts, medicines support per MAR.
Close: handover notes, next‑visit prompt, red‑flag triggers (e.g., falls, skin integrity, nutrition).

Include a short example for a 30‑minute personal support call and a 45‑minute complex package.

💊 Safety, Medicines & Risk

Risk library + individual plan: falls, choking, pressure damage, self‑neglect, infection control.
Medicines: assessment of level (prompt/assist/administer), double‑sign requirements, error escalation.
Safeguarding: concern → DSL notification → referral pathway → learning log.

📱 Digital Maturity & Evidence

Systems: eMAR, eRostering, digital notes, call monitoring, family portal (name them where appropriate).
Controls: role‑based access, MFA, audits, downtime protocols and tested business continuity.
Data: dashboards for visit punctuality, continuity, outcomes and complaints/resolution.

📊 Outcomes & Reviews (Show It Works)

Metrics: independence goals met, hospital admission avoidance, re‑ablement success, client satisfaction.
Review cycle: 4–6 week new‑start review, then scheduled or triggered by change.
Co‑production: person/family voice shapes goals, visit times, cultural preferences.

Add one brief case example tying model → outcome (e.g., reduced falls, improved nutrition, fewer missed visits).

✅ Put It Together: A Short, Score‑Friendly Summary

End with a 6–8 bullet “service model in summary” the panel can lift straight into their notes.