Agenda item

To outline the potential benefits of adopting a streamlined approach to managing these services for both service-users and the Council, and the time line for its adoption.

The Lead Member for Social Care (Adults and Children’s Services) introduced the report advising that the report outlined the potential benefits of streamlining the management of the Supporting Independent Living (SIL) and the Reablement Services, whilst retaining the independence of the operational delivery side of the services.  Members were advised that funding indications for the SIL Service, via the Supporting People Grant from Welsh Government (WG), for 2017/18 seemed favourable.  Responding to members’ questions the Head of Community Support Services and officers:

·         explained the terminology contained in the report in relation to the different ‘care provider’ posts, emphasising that the integrated Health & Social Care Support Workers (HSCSW) could deliver elements of both health and social care services;

·         stated that in addition to realising financial efficiencies for the Council in having one manager instead of two, the bringing together of the services under one manager should also improve service delivery on the ground and deliver a more seamless service to the service-user;

·         confirmed that there could potentially be more career progression opportunities for staff ;

·         in acknowledging that the streamlining of the management of the services was partly budget driven, also advised that the new structure should also deliver better quality intervention services on the ground and consequently improve the resilience of service-users.  It would also support the delivery of the Council’s corporate priorities of protecting vulnerable people and helping them to live independently for as long as possible and ensuring that people had access to good quality housing;

·         advised that every vacant post would be reviewed to determine whether it met Welsh Language Standards requirements;

·         confirmed that 7 of the 21 recommendations in the Supporting People Service Review were outstanding at present, the majority of the outstanding actions were linked to the current restructure and should therefore be delivered within the agreed timescale;

·         advised that when hospital in-patients were considered for discharge there was a hospital discharge procedure which had to be followed to ensure that they were fit enough to be discharged and would be safe in their own home;

·         informed the Committee that if residents, carers or councillors wanted to initiate enquiries on services available they should in the first instance contact the Single Point of Access (SPoA) service.  Contact with SPoA initiated the “ What Matters” conversation which led to prioritising services for each individual to suit their specific needs.  It was also a gateway for individuals who did not have family or friends nearby to support them to access help and support; and

·         confirmed that consultation with staff on the new structure and the associated terms and conditions would commence on 8 November 2016.

At the conclusion of the discussion the Committee requested that:

·         information on the indicators used to measure the services’ effectiveness in delivering outcomes be presented to the Committee during early spring 2017;

·         information on the Supporting People grant funding award for the above services be provided to members as soon as it was available; and

·         every effort be made to ensure that all individual cases referred to the services be given full consideration for receipt of the requested services and others that may be appropriate for them.

It was:

RESOLVED -

(i)            subject to the above observations and receiving assurances that the streamlining of the management of the services would not affect frontline service delivery and would support the delivery of effective integrated health care and support services to residents, to receive the report; and

(ii)          that a further report on the progress in streamlining the management structure, including information on the indicators to be used to measure the services’ effectiveness in delivering the intended outcomes be presented to the Committee in early spring 2017.