Agenda item

The Director to give a presentation highlighting departmental performance headlines as reported in the Quarterly Service Report (QSR) for the fourth quarter of 2016/17 (January to March 2017) relating to Adult Social Care and Housing with a live interactive link to the performance Dashboard.

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

The Panel considered the latest trends, priorities and pressures in terms of departmental performance as reported in the QSR for the fourth quarter of 2016/17 (January to March 2017) relating to Adult Social Care and Housing.  The Director introduced a presentation highlighting the good performance, outcomes and challenges across the service and the Panel noted:

• New outcome based Domiciliary Care contracts had been awarded to five providers and work was proceeding to implementation.
• The Executive had approved the new model for community based Intermediate Care and implementation plans were being worked up, with the commencement to be dependent upon agreement about the options for the Bridgewell Centre.
• The new resource allocation system was operational and its impact would be closely reviewed over the coming months.
• The Bracknell Forest Community Network had been implemented, being the first plank of the digital platform.
• A package of police-specific autism awareness training had recently been developed.
• A digital marketplace had been agreed for implementation in the next two months.
• As Residential and Nursing Home prices continued to increase, the Council had just entered into a block contract which would offer lower prices.

Housing highlights

• 8 people with Learning Disabilities had been placed in supported living houses purchased via Downshire Homes Limited.  DHL purchases for 2017/18 were underway with 4 completions and 11 offers on properties accepted.
• An order had been placed to procure an E-benefits on-line system for customers to make claims and notify changes of circumstance.  All welfare and housing customers would be able to access services digitally, with a go live date expected for September.
• The Homeless Prevention Act, expected to come into force in April 2018, would introduce a duty for the Council to provide homeless prevention for 56 days.  This meant additional work to prepare for this and a new funding burden.

Arising from questions and discussion, the Panel noted:

• A demonstration of the live interactive link to the performance Dashboard had been postponed as it was proving difficult to support the Dashboard across all mobile devices in advance of the Council moving to the Cloud.
• While the business model for care providers allowed for self-funders to cross-subsidise local authority funded clients, the Council was able to advise self-funders how to get more for their money and additional value for their higher payments.
• The new outcome based domiciliary care contracts included incentives for the providers to reduce the care required by individuals.  The care providers had a range of innovative ideas to encourage people to access activities not requiring paid care and to assist the recruitment and retention of staff, particularly young staff.
• A query was raised in relation to Indicator L178 (the number of household nights in non self-contained accommodation) which was much lower (ie. better) than the target.  Did this include those accommodated at Tenterden Lodge?  It was requested further information be circulated to Panel members, including a view on whether the target should be revised.
• Further information was also requested in relation to staff sickness, specifically the total days for 2016/17.