Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that Councillor Turrell be elected Chairman of the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel for the municipal year 2011/12.

COUNCILLOR TURRELL IN THE CHAIR

RESOLVED that Councillor Harrison be appointed Vice-Chairman of the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel for the municipal year 2011/12.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 10 January 2011.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel held on 10 January 2011 be approved as a correct record, and signed by the Chairman.

Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, including the existence and nature of the party whip, in respect of any matter to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest relating to any items on the agenda, nor any indications that members would be participating whilst under the party whip.

Any other items which, pursuant to Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chairman decides are urgent.

There were no urgent items of business.

Further to recent media reports containing issues associated with the above care homes, a verbal update in respect of the local position will be provided.

The Panel received a verbal update from the Director of Adult Social Care and Health in respect of the local position of Southern Cross Care Homes.

The model was causing some operating difficulties and a number of the care homes were not performing to Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements. The Department of Health was monitoring the situation. There were five people in Southern Cross Care Homes who were receiving support from the Adult Social Care Department at Bracknell Forest Council. The five people possibly affected did not wish to move at present, however places had been reserved at other care homes in case they were needed.

Work was being undertaken across Berkshire with the Primary Care Trust (PCT). Other local authorities had larger numbers of clients in Southern Cross Care Homes and Bracknell Forest Council would help in relation to this if possible.

To consider the latest trends, priorities and pressures in terms of departmental performance as reported in the PMR for the fourth quarter of 2010/11 (January to March 2011) relating to Adult Social Care.

Panel members are asked to give advance notice to the Overview and Scrutiny Team of any questions relating to the PMR where possible.

Please note this is a revised version of the Adult Social Care PMR.

The Director of Adult Social Care and Health presented the Performance Monitoring Report (PMR) for the fourth quarter of 2010/11 (January to March 2011) relating to Adult Social Care.

There had been achievements in all divisions during 2010/11 including the roll out of Personalisation. Resources had been developed to help with this such as i-Hub. Other key achievements included Timebanking, the continued theme of modernisation throughout services, and a national pilot in relation to substance misuse. Significant health funding of £961,000 had been secured and given to the NHS for use in social care. The PCT were being invoiced for this.

Key achievements in relation to Older People and Long Term Conditions included enhanced Intermediate Care, end of life care, remodelled day opportunities, a review of the Emergency Duty Team, the re-registration of regulated services, and Home First.

There had been significant savings achieved during 2010/11, and 20-30 referrals were being received from GP’s per month. The Adult Social Care and Health Department was operating at approximately 90% of responses within two hours and could support clients to remain at home if they wished, instead of in hospital. Healthlands had been expanded to provide day support. There would be changes to the Emergency Duty Team staff. Six local authorities contracted work and services had been successfully re-registered with the CQC.

Key achievements in relation to Adult and Joint Commissioning included the reprovision of 14 homes for people with learning disabilities which would result in savings for Bracknell Forest Council. The Green Machine began as a standalone Social Enterprise on 1 April 2011 and was not purely for learning disability clients. National pilots undertaken in relation to a Dementia Advisor had been successful. Supported living at Glenfield House would be brought into line with a more modern approach to service provision. The national pilot PSA16 was now known as Homes and Jobs.

The Autism Strategy had been approved by the Executive. A refresh of the Learning Disability Strategy had been undertaken. Continued improvements in care governance included a robust system of grading and checking for care homes. A flag system would be used, for example, red flag would mean not to purchase from a provider, and amber flag would mean caution before purchasing services.

Key achievements in relation to Performance and Resources included a new contributions policy, statutory returns completed for the Department of Health, the introduction of a new IT system which would be enhanced during 2011/12 for Personalisation, and a new outcomes and performance framework including the production of a local account for 2012/13 with a possible trial run in 2011/12.

It would be considered how providers should be rewarded in relation to substance misuse services. There would be opportunities for people to make decisions regarding their need for residential or nursing home care. Bracknell Forest Homes would be undertaking a modernisation programme in relation to their sheltered housing accommodation in Bracknell Forest. End of life support would involve the centralisation of beds at Prospect Park Hospital. Social care  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The 2010/11 Annual Report of the Complaints Manager for Adult Social Care is attached for the Panel’s consideration.

The Performance Manager for Adult Social Care and Health presented the Adult Social Care Annual Complaints Report for 2010/11.

It was a statutory requirement to report annually on the complaints received by the Adult Social Care and Health Department. In 2010/11, 136 compliments and 37 complaints were received out of a total of 3,600 people being supported by the department during the year. The aim of the complaints function was to resolve the complaints as efficiently as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes. The Complaints Manager would work with senior managers and teams to achieve this. A more in depth analysis of the complaints received had been undertaken this year.

Complaints arrangements were altered nationally in 2009 to provide a more integrated process with health and consequently a wider cohort. A closer definition of a complaint was required and there was a change in legislation. There were changes in the contributions policy in relation to finance and some people were reluctant to pay for support. The rise in complaints was also felt to be due to the expansion of the community liaison role. Some clients received four visits daily so there was much opportunity for grounds for complaint. The percentage of complaints when compared to the number of visits to the 3,600 clients in the Borough was small.

Future Adult Social Care Annual Complaints Reports would be expanded to include the nature of complaints and the volume of Adult Social Care activity for complaint comparison purposes.

The Panel expressed thanks for the valuable work undertaken by the Adult Social Care and Health Department and commented on the number of compliments received by the department.

To consider the attached Refreshed Commissioning Strategy.

The Director of Adult Social Care and Health presented a report on the refreshed Commissioning Strategy for Adults with a Learning Disability 2008-13, ‘Making Choices, Being in Control’.

Comments were welcomed from Panel Members on the Strategy prior to its approval by the Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing on 20 July 2011.

A move away from institutional support for adults with learning disabilities, such as long stay hospitals, began in 2001 towards opportunities in the community. The implications of the Strategy would include new support arrangements, accommodation and day time activities. There was previously no choice for service users in relation to who they lived with and there was now a move towards the use of ordinary accommodation for service users in the community, individually or in small groups. Achievements and changes in legislation supported this change.

Schemes which had been undertaken included: Putting People First, Valuing People Now, Our Health Our Care Our Say, and Six Lives. There were new arrangements at Bracknell and Wokingham College and the police also had a Stop It Now scheme. Service users could now have personal budgets and 85% of service users with learning disabilities were supported to live in their own accommodation compared to 10% five years ago. The remaining 15% of service users lived outside of the Borough and would be difficult to move.

Some new targets had been set in relation to the health agenda and acute hospitals locally. The Strategy had been written with people with learning disabilities and a policy decision had been made not to write the Strategy in any other format. Open meetings were held with people with learning disabilities and Panel Members should contact the Chief Officer, Adults and Commissioning if they would like to attend any. People with learning disabilities often also had physical disabilities.

The Panel requested that the following changes be made to the refreshed Strategy:

• On p.95 of the agenda papers, in Appendix One of the refreshed Commissioning Strategy for Adults with Learning Disability 2008-13, under What we plan to do, the sentence should be amended to: ‘Make sure that there is the right support for people with learning disabilities from different communities that is right for them’.
• On p.100 of the agenda papers, in Appendix One of the refreshed Commissioning Strategy for Adults with Learning Disability 2008-13, under Our targets, the sentence should be amended to: ‘The Council and the NHS will lead the way in making at least 6 jobs in their organisations accessible for people with learning disabilities by 2013’.
• Page breaks, margins and full stops etc would be re-formatted as necessary.

Panel Members were requested to consider the refreshed Strategy and through the Chairman and the Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing, forward any further comments or ideas to the Chief Officer, Adults and Commissioning by Friday 24 June.

The Chairman thanked the Adult Social Care and Health Department for an important piece of work.

To consider the response of the Executive to the report of a working group of this Panel which reviewed safeguarding adults in the context of the personalisation of Adult Social Care.

The Panel considered the response of the Executive to the report of a working group of the Panel which reviewed safeguarding adults in the context of personalisation of Adult Social Care.

The Director of Adult Social Care and Health presented the report. All the recommendations contained in the report were accepted with the exception of one concerning independent chairing of safeguarding reviews and conferences as this would be difficult to achieve in a small unitary authority such as Bracknell Forest and the neighbouring Berkshire unitary authorities operated different procedures. However, the Council’s Head of Safeguarding was independent and chaired meetings involving particularly complex or sensitive issues.

Panel Members would be provided with further information on the progress in relation to safeguarding adults in the context of personalisation at the next Panel meeting.

The Safeguarding Adults section of the Council’s website was commended to the Panel and could be accessed via the following web link: http://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/living/liv-community-care/liv-vulnerable-adults.htm .

To consider the proposed work programme for the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel for 2011/12 and select Members to progress the specific reviews in the work programme for the Panel.

The Panel considered the proposed Work Programme for 2011/12.

Panel members agreed that the Work Programme should incorporate a degree of flexibility to take into account changes in government policy in the future.

Areas of interest for the Work Programme for 2011/12 included keeping budgets under review, the work and remit of the Emergency Duty Team, the Autism Strategy, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (although this would not be reviewed at present), a review of the Council’s response to the government’s new requirements in it’s 2010 Drug Strategy, and more information on the Carers’ Strategy.

The Head of Service for the Emergency Duty Team would give a presentation on the work and remit of the team at the next meeting of the Panel, when Members would also be involved in the shaping of substance misuse services in Bracknell Forest.

Panel Members would be invited to the Carers’ Conference on 7 September 2011 and to the launch of the Autism Strategy on 11 July 2011.

Panel Members should advise the Chairman of any other areas of interest for consideration in the work programme for 2011/12.

To consider forthcoming items on the Executive Forward Plan relating to Adult Social Care.

The Panel noted the forthcoming items relating to Adult Social Care on the Executive Forward Plan.