Agenda and minutes
PDF 63 KBVenue: Ashcombe Suite, County Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2DN
Contact: Ross Pike or Andrew Baird
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Minutes: Apologies were received from Graham Ellwood and Barbara Thomson. There were no substitutes.
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING: 19 DECEMBER 2014
To agree the minutes as a true record of the meeting.
Minutes: The minutes were agreed as a true record of the meeting. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.
Notes: · In line with the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, declarations may relate to the interest of the member, or the member’s spouse or civil partner, or a person with whom the member is living as husband or wife, or a person with whom the member is living as if they were civil partners and the member is aware they have the interest. · Members need only disclose interests not currently listed on the Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests. · Members must notify the Monitoring Officer of any interests disclosed at the meeting so they may be added to the Register. · Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest. Minutes: None received |
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QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
To receive any questions or petitions.
Notes: 1. The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm four working days before the meeting (Friday 9 January 2015). 2. The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting (Thursday 8 January 2015) 3. The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received. Minutes: None received. |
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RESPONSES FROM THE CABINET TO ISSUES REFERRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE
There are no responses to report. Minutes: None received. |
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DIRECTOR'S UPDATE
The Strategic Director for Adult Social Care will update the Committee on important news and announcements. Minutes: Witnesses: Dave Sargeant, Strategic Director, Adult Social Care
Mel Few, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care Steve Cosser, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care
Declarations of interest: None
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Strategic Director for Adult Social Care (SD) informed the Committee that the Health and Wellbeing Board has signed off the revised Better Care Fund (BCF) plan which was updated in accordance with recommendations made by NHS England’s review of the Council’s initial BCF plan. The Committee were further advised that the Health and Wellbeing Board have also signed off the £18m whole systems plan which refreshes plans with the six clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).
2. The SD highlighted that the Adult Social Care Directorate (ASC) has been liaising with acute hospitals to meet the additional demand pressures placed on them in recent weeks. ASC has doubled the number of staff going into hospital at key times, such as weekends, to reduce pressure on hospital staff and resources but the situation remains challenging. Plans are also in place to discuss the additional pressure in more detail with the acute sector and NHS England to inform the development of robust strategies for coping with winter demands on acute hospitals.
3. The SD advised the Committee that a quality assurance task and finish group has been created in response to the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) inspection of Merok Park residential care home. The group consists of representatives from ASC, the six CCGs, Healthwatch Surrey and other partners to work together to ensure a high standard of quality assurance for individuals in Surrey’s residential care homes.
4. Members were further advised that the number of vacancies in ASC has been reduced to 12% which represents a significant reduction in the number of vacancies in frontline staff. It was also stated that ASC is in the process of recruiting to another twenty permanent social worker and occupational therapy posts. The SD highlighted that the south east has a competitive labour market but the Director of People and Development has agreed to be the Directorate’s HR Relationship Manager reflecting ASC’s status as HR’s biggest customer and will work them to review its Pay and Reward Strategy.
5. The Committee requested specific information on those hospitals in Surrey that are not presently operating appropriate discharge policies. It was indicated that there are a number of hospitals are accelerating work towards providing a seven day a week discharge policy in line with the priorities of the Better Care Fund (BCF). The SD highlighted that the recent pressures on A & E services has required a number of hospitals to pursue more flexible discharge arrangements for patients and that the BCF plans will encourage this further.
6. Members requested a report detailing integration between health and social care services through the BCF plan as well as additional information on how the voluntary sector are cooperating with statutory organisations. The SD stated that each CCG has a local plan for the implementation of ... view the full minutes text for item 6/13 |
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CARE ACT 2014: PREPARATIONS FOR APRIL 2015 IMPLEMENTATION
The Select Committee has requested an update on Surrey County Council’s plans to implement the Care Act 2014 for 1st April 2015, following publication of the final regulations and guidance in October 2014. Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses:
Dave Sargeant, Strategic Director, Adult Social Care Tristram Gardner, Project Manager, Adult Social Care Siobhan Abernethy, Information, Advice and Engagement Lead, Adult Social Care Sonya Sellar, Area Director - Mid-Surrey, Adult Social Care Toni Carney, Head of Resources, Adult Social Care Nick Markwick, Director, Surrey Coalition of Disabled People
Declarations of interest: None
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Project Manager (PM) provided a brief introduction to the report and advised Members that the Care Act was a significant piece of legislation which required ASC to take on a number of new responsibilities. It was further highlighted that the Care Act was being implemented in two stages with a number of significant changes from April 2016 and that a report would be provided to the Committee on these additional changes once regulations and guidance have been published by the government.
2. For good information provision and signposting in their settings, a robust information and advice strategy and supporting plan, the Information, Advice and Engagement Lead (IAEL) added to the PM’s introduction by indicating that as all partners are responsible, strong delivery models have been developed in conjunction with the District and Borough Councils and other trusted partners such as GPs. It was further highlighted that, although the extent of any increase in the level of demand on the Council’s social care services is unclear, the strategy aims to ensure that residents receive consistently high quality information and advice wherever they go for it. Members were further advised that a promotional campaign additional to the national promotion is to be launched by the Council in order to signpost residents to the right services - highlighting what care and support is available throughout the community not just ASC to manage additional demand. More resource was being recruited to help with this partnering work.
3. The Committee requested additional information on how ASC planned to publicise the new requirements and whether the promotional campaign will make use of resources such as Members, libraries and the faith sector for getting the word out to residents. IEAL confirmed that plans are in place to utilise these resources to ensure residents are aware of the Care Act. The IEAL also stated that information, including a short information pack containing information on the changes arising from the Care Act will be distributed to all stakeholders including Members, as well as, a new public information leaflet on care and support. It was further highlighted that Community Connectors will be asked to go out and engage with small communities and Social Care Development Coordinators will do the same in localities. The Committee requested that ASC issue copies of the leaflet to the Democratic Services team for distribution to all Members of the Council.
4. Members requested clarification on the role played by the Society of Later Life Advisors (SOLLA) as the organisation chosen by ASC for referrals for independent financial advice and asked whether SOLLA have the power to assume control of a ... view the full minutes text for item 7/13 |
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UPDATE ON THE HOME-BASED CARE TENDER 2014
Minutes: Witnesses:
Ian Lyall, Senior Category Specialist, Adult Social Care Kirsty Malak, Assistant Senior Manager, Adult Social Care
Declarations of interest: None
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Senior Category Specialist (SCS) provided a brief introduction to the report advising the Committee that contracts have been placed jointly with NHS Surrey Downs CCG with nine strategic providers across 18 zones across Surrey with pre-specified volume levels each provider will expect to receive so they can plan accordingly. The Assistant Senior Manager (ASM) indicated that the contracts have been progressing well and that a good working relationship has been established with each of the strategic providers. The ASM further highlighted that contract Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were monitored electronically and that performance against these KPIs are linked to financial repatriation.
2. Members were further informed that a process has been initiated to work with any qualified provider for the delivery of home based care when needed and that 163 expressions of interest have so far been received from this process. The SCS advised that a rigorous process of ensuring that interested providers were fit to provide home-based care for residents would take place before establishing the number of service users that each of the successful providers would give home based care to.
3. The Committee drew attention to the fact that more than one provider has been contracted to operate in certain zones and asked for clarification on why this was. The SCS advised that this was in response to the volume of demand in certain areas and it was felt that more than one provider was required to meet the demand for home-based care in that area. Members were informed that in areas with more than one provider operating, they are working in tandem and in conjunction with locality teams to ensure that demand for home-based care is met.
4. Members asked whether the introduction of the Care Act would have an impact on home-based care. The ASM indicated that the Care Act will have implications for the delivery of home-based care but that the full impact will not become apparent until next year but that they would work closely with the Care Act team to understand what the full implications of the new legislation will be but that a dramatic change in the level of demand is not anticipated.
5. The Director of Surrey Coalition of Disabled People asked about choice of home-based care providers for residents who live in an area covered by only one provider. The SCS highlighted that this would be addressed through the ‘any qualified provider’ scheme which would offer choice to residents in areas only covered by one strategic provider as well as picking up any additional demand.
6. Members asked for more detail on electronic monitoring and what this would pick up. The SCS stated that strategic providers were using equipment to monitor and report back on their own performance at present but that work was being conducted with software developers to ... view the full minutes text for item 8/13 |
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INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT - REVIEW OF SOCIAL CARE DEBT 2013/14
Purpose of the report: Scrutiny of Services
To review the summary audit findings and Management Action Plan produced as a result of an internal audit review of social care debt. Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses:
Neill Moore, Senior Principal Accountant Reem Burton, Lead Auditor Jackie Knutton, Order to Cash Process Owner
Declarations of interest: None
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Senior Principal Accountant (SPA) provided the Committee with an update on the actions taken by the Finance Team in response to recommendations from the Audit and Governance Committee regarding the reconciliation of social care debt and how performance can be improved in this area.
2. Members asked whether information on the amount of social care debt written off could be included in the social care debt report to the Committee in June. The SPA indicated that the report currently includes information on the amount of debt that has been approved as written off but that it was also possible to include data on the amount of debt that is currently going through the process of being written off but has not yet been approved. The SPA indicated that he would include this information in his report to the Committee in June.
3. The Committee inquired as to whether there were methods of payment other than direct debit as this can incur additional costs for the resident if their payment is unsuccessful. It was advised that payment can also be made through the Post Office but the majority of social care payments are made by direct debit. Members were further advised that it does allow two weeks for individuals to make it known that they are unable to make a payment so that they don’t incur fees and charges from the bank if there direct debit payment is declined. Members indicated that another potential avenue of payment for social care costs to the Council was through a multiple options payment through the Post Office and it was agreed that the Finance Team would explore whether this could be instituted as another method of payment.
Recommendations:
· The Committee recommends that the different teams involved in the collection of social care debt should work to integrate their processes to ensure a high level of collection.
· The Committee recommends that the plan to institute an incentive scheme to encourage payment of social care costs should be revisited to gather more evidence before the option is discounted.
· The Committee suggests that more than two weeks should be allowed for social care users to inform ASC that they are unable to pay the amount they owe.
· The Committee recommends that direct debit should be promoted as preferred method of payment while acknowledging that this is not a convenient method of payment for all those who pay social care costs to the Council.
Actions/ further information to be provided:
None
Committee next steps:
None
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RECOMMENDATION TRACKER AND FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME
The Committee is asked to monitor progress on the implementation of recommendations from previous meetings, and to review its Forward Work Programme. Additional documents: Minutes: Witnesses: None
Declarations of interest: None
Key points raised during the discussion: None
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DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Committee will be held at 10.00 am on Tuesday 10 March 2015. Minutes:
The Committee noted its next meeting will be held at 10.00 am on Friday 10 April 2015.
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