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 the BCF which includes a workforce agenda looking at how to use existing health and social care services including strategies on how to transform these services. The SD suggested that it would be possible to report to the committee on health and social care service integration including the role of the voluntary sector in delivering the BCF in the autumn.
7. The Committee mentioned discussions which are taking place at other local authorities in respect to capping agency costs. The SD highlighted that work has been taking place for sometime through the South East 7 in order to get the right price from providers. It was highlighted that recent growth in the number of locums had caused difficulties for introducing a pay cap but the hope was to reduce the need for locums by recruiting and retaining staff more effectively.
8. Concerns was expressed by Members that GPs continued reliance on acute hospitals to diagnose and treat patients is impacting on the public’s perception of where to go for healthcare services. The Committee were advised that the creation of locality hubs, which will adopt a proactive approach to treating patients, are part of the BCF plan to make diagnostic services more widely available beyond A & E services in Surrey and reduce the demand placed on acute hospitals. Efforts are being made by ASC and the CCGs to commission these services in the community so that fewer people need to be referred to hospital by GPs.
Recommendations:
That the Strategic Director shares the outcomes of the Quality Assurance Task & Finish group with the Committee on completion of the project.
Actions/ further information to be provided:
None
Committee next steps:
None