Agenda item

The Committee has requested a progress report with particular emphasis on the proportion of payments made by direct debit.

Declarations of Interest:

None.

Witnesses:

Paul Carey-Kent, Strategic Finance Manager – Adult Social Care, Public Health & Fire

Toni Carney, Benefits & Charging Consultancy Team Manager

Jackie Knutton, Order to Cash Process Owner

Reem Burton, Lead Auditor

Sue Lewry-Jones, Chief Internal Auditor

Keith Witham, the Chairman of Adult Social Care Select Committee, had been invited to attend the meeting for this item.  He was unable to attend but had sent his comments which were tabled and are attached as Annex A to the Minutes.

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    The Strategic Finance Manager introduced the report and highlighted the regular monitoring of social care debt levels by the Adult Social Care Select Committee. 

2.    Members expressed concern about the stalled improvement of the proportion of payments for social care collected by direct debit over the past couple of years.  The Strategic Finance Manager explained that a lot of work was underway to raise the proportion, including the survey to understand why some clients do not want to use direct debit.  The main issue was clients’ desire for full control of their payment timings. 

3.    Officers were asked if giving alternative dates to pay for social care had been considered if income streams did not match up with the current dates.  The Order to Cash Process Owner agreed that an alternative date could be considered.  At present, the date is set at the 21^st of the month.  This allows for ten days notice of the direct debit and ensures that non-payments are recorded to roll into the next cycle.  Another Member argued against this suggestion, highlighting that the Council is providing a service and should be able to be tougher about collecting payments.  At present, the Council is spending too much time acting as a credit controller.  The Strategic Finance Manager explained that the Council is not a commercial supplier and has a responsibility to provide social care even if the individual has not set up a direct debit.  The committee agreed to request that the service to consider a second date to pay social care within the month (Recommendations tracker ref: A18/14).

4.    A Member pointed out that, according to the Chairman of Adult Social Care Select Committee, levels of debt at Surrey County Council were not excessive compared to other local authorities.  The Chairman identified that two local authorities had a higher proportion of service users paying by direct debit than Surrey.  He asked that the service contact them to find out if any lessons could be learnt (Recommendations tracker ref: A19/14).

5.    The Chairman asked about why service users are only given information about costs once they have already started receiving a service.  This brings them into debt from the start.  The Strategic Finance Manager agrees that this does cause difficulties and that the Rapid Improvement Event had addressed this issue.  The Benefits & Charging Consultancy Team Manager explained that it was not always possible to financially assess a person before they start to receive a service.  The Rapid Improvement Event had led to a ‘pay for care conversation’ before the start of service provision where possible. 

6.    The Benefits & Charging Consultancy Team Manager explained that the client group have fluctuating incomes and therefore do not want to commit to direct debits.

7.    Members suggested that voluntary providers could be approached to ask for support in increasing the proportion of service users paying by direct debit, eg the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.  Also, it was suggested that incentives could be employed.  The Order to Cash Process Owner informed the committee that these were recommendations on the Management Action Plan.

8.    The Chairman stated that the committee would monitor performance against the Management Action Plan (Recommendations tracker ref: A20/14).

Actions/Further information to be provided:

      i.        The Strategic Finance Manager – Adult Social Care, Public Health & Fire to consider introducing a second date to pay social care within the month and report back to the committee.

     ii.        Officers to identify best practice at the two local authorities which have a higher proportion of service users paying by direct debit than Surrey.

RESOLVED:

That the committee notes the debt position for Adult Social Care services.

Committee Next Steps:

The committee to monitor performance against the Social Care Debt Audit’s Management Action Plan.