The Committee will be briefed on the recommended new contract for the Adult Social Care case management and financial system to be decided by the Cabinet on May 26.
The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care will also update the Committee on his priorities for the Directorate in 2015/16.
Minutes:
The Chairman proposed that item 6b be considered before item 6a and this was agreed by the Committee.
Declarations of interest:
None
Witnesses:
Mel Few, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care
Dave Sargeant, Strategic Director for Adult Social Care
Nick Markwick, Director, Surrey Coalition of Disabled People
Toni Carney, Head of Resources, Adult Social Care
Lorraine Juniper, Programmes Manager, Information Management and Technology
Key points raised during the discussion:
· The Committee were given detail of the new IT system by Liquidlogic that is being recommended by ASC and that will be considered by the Cabinet at its next meeting on 26 May 2015. The Cabinet Member stated that the proposed contractual relationship would be part of an existing agreement with East Sussex County Council who are acting as a central purchasing body for other local authorities and already use Liquidlogic as their adult social care delivery system.
· The Cabinet Member drew attention to some of the features of the new software which will offer significantly improved functionality over the system currently used by ASC. For example, Liquidlogic’s software will facilitate mobile working for care workers, it is an intuitive system that staff will find easy to use while there will also be more frequent updates to further improve the functionality of the system. Moreover if no action is now taken to replace the Adult Social Care IT system, there is a risk that the council will not be compliant with the Care Act by April 2016 and will not have the necessary functionality to manage the increased demand for assessments
· Members requested further information on any financial benefits that Liquidlogic’s software will offer ASC. The Cabinet Member advised that the costs of contracting the new software will be similar to the current system but that there is the potential to make significant savings arising from the increased efficiency in service provision that the new software will provide. The opportunity for staff to work remotely has been identified as a particular area where savings could be achieved due to the fact that it will allow care workers to update people’s records in the field rather than having to return to the office in order to do this which will also help to ensure that records are up to date.
· Opportunities for improved data sharing were discussed by the Committee who inquired whether the new system will enable relevant services and partners to access people’s records and information so that those with care needs only need to tell their story once. This will not only improve the experience of these individuals in dealing with ASC but will also help to make care delivery more efficient. The Cabinet Member confirmed that this is part of the Council’s digital strategy and that Liquidlogic are working to deliver this functionality although it is not part of their current software package but as it is an open source platform it should allow simple linking to other software packages used by external partners.
· The SD highlighted that much of the challenges around achieving data and information sharing between social care partners and agencies is centred on changing culture and practices across these organisations. It was indicated that progress is being made in the Surrey health and social care community on delivering the changes required to share information between agencies. For example, this is already happening in North East Hampshire and Farnham as part of the Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCGs) Vanguard pilot project. Furthermore, the districts and borough councils and other partners have also been asked to sign an information sharing protocol which will allow partner agencies to access information about patients and their care needs when required.
· The Director of Surrey Coalition of Disabled People (DSCDP) highlighted the importance of the new software being accessible and easy to use for disabled people. The Programmes Manager (PM) stressed that Liquidlogic leads the way in delivering systems for social care services but assured Members that the accessibility of the software will be tested and that the Council would work with Liquidlogic to ensure that feedback is incorporated into how the software is configured.
· Members requested assurances that the bureaucracy and regulations which govern the use of information and IT systems are reviewed to ensure that the full functionality of the new system can be utilised. The Cabinet Member suggested that a recommendation be made to the Cabinet to this effect.
· The Committee asked whether the system had the capacity to function as a single point of contact for care workers and service users. The SD stated that this is the aspiration for the new software and that ASC will be working towards this goal. Members were advised that creating a single point of contact for patients and care workers was also being driven by the need to mitigate additional demand on ASC services arising from the Care Act and the hope is to allow those with care needs to access the system to trigger their own care accounts in the future.
· More information was requested on the protocols that ASC has in place if there is disruption to the IT system or if it goes down entirely. The Head of Resources (HoR) highlighted that ASC has a business continuity plan which will come into effect if necessary when the IT system fails. This has not happened to date but ASC are confident that it will allow care services to continue to be delivered effectively. The PM advised Members that there are back up servers off site and the new software can be updated overnight to minimise disruption to ASC.
Recommendations:
1. The Committee supports the case for entering into a contract with a new provider for the Adult Social Care IT system.
2. The Committee recommends that the Directorate, with support from the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, explore the integration of the new IT system with the NHS, District & Borough Councils and other relevant agencies.
3. Copy the above to the Chairman of the Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Actions/ further information to be provided:
None
Committee next steps:
None