Agenda item

To consider a report by the Commissioning Officer for Carers Service (copy attached) to provide information regarding progress on the development of the Strategy.

10.50 a.m. – 11.30 a.m.

Councillor Gareth Lloyd Davies declared a personal interest as an employee of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).

The Lead Member for Wellbeing and Independence introduced the report and appendices (previously circulated) which provided members with an update on the progress made to date in delivering the three year strategy and informed the Committee on other recent significant developments relating to carers services.   During her introduction the Lead Member referred to a fact that was brought to her attention at a recent national conference where it was stated that there were an estimated 370,000 unpaid carers in Wales alone.  These carers saved Health and Social Services millions of pounds year on year, therefore it was key that they were supported as much as possible in their roles as carers. 

The Head of Community Support Services drew members’ attention to the updated version of the Denbighshire Carers Strategy Action Plan, attached at Appendix 1 to the report, advising that the majority of actions listed were attributed a Green RAG status, which meant they had either been delivered or were on track to be delivered, a few had a yellow RAG status which meant they were still being progressed, whilst one was registering a ‘red’ RAG status.  The latter one related to the proposal to explore the benefits of developing a ‘family conference model’ to deal with situations in Adult Services, similar to the successful model operating within Children’s Services.  Whilst the Service still planned to explore the feasibility of developing this model the work was currently on hold due to the need to prioritise other demands and the requirements of both the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.  The Head of Service advised that whilst there was no new or additional money available to develop carer services, the overall delivery of the Strategy was progressing well.  There was also a general feeling amongst carers, and those they cared for, that they were better supported now than in the past, and had access to services or assistance if they required them. 

Attached at Appendix 2 to the report was a summary of the findings of a recent study on progress made nationally in relation to the implementation of the requirements of the SSWB (Wales) Act 2014 as they related to Carers services, including Denbighshire’s current position in relation to each ‘finding’.  This Appendix also outlined other Carer related matters which the Council required to consider and explore further.

Responding to members questions the Lead Member, Head of Service and the Commissioning Officer for Carers Services advised that:

• the needs of young carers within the Education Service were now receiving a higher profile with actions identified as part of the Carers Strategy Action Plan in relation to young carers being incorporated into the remit of a number of health and education working groups;
• the work to promote and deliver e-learning modules on the implications of the SSWB (Wales) Act 2014 with respect to carers to Health Board staff was progressing and would continue as the Service had a high staff turnover rate and consequently training would be required on an on-going basis;
• whilst a representative from the Mary Dei social enterprise continued to sit on the Carers Strategy Group, the enterprise itself was still contemplating its future direction, although it still envisaged working to support carers;
• whilst it was regarded beneficial for voluntary groups who were represented on the Carers Strategy Group to have a business plan, it was not deemed to be a mandatory requirement.  However, voluntary groups who wanted guidance on how to develop a business plan could contact Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) for guidance and support to develop plans;
• a workshop event had been held on 7 December 2017 under the auspices of the North Wales Regional Partnership Board’s (NWRPB) Regional Collaboration Team to try and agree a way forward for designing and delivering carers services across the region.  The session focussed on what was currently working well and how partners could work better together to contribute towards the well-being of carers.  Whilst it would be some time yet before there would be a consistent plan across North Wales for supporting carers or for joint commissioning arrangements, work would continue in a bid to provide carers with the support they required; 
• in response to a request from the Committee at an earlier meeting that the benefits of providing Leisure Cards for young carers be explored, the merits of this proposal had been examined with both the Council’s Leisure and Children’s Services and with Wrexham, Conwy and Denbighshire (WCD) Young Carers.  As a result an agreement had been reached in principle for the provision of Leisure Cards to young carers.  Potential options or combination of options for the provision of these cards were currently under consideration;
• due to the statutory obligations the Council now had towards carers they had been given a high profile within the new Corporate Plan, under the Resilient Communities priority; and
• whilst there currently was unspent monies in the Carers Respite Grant designated for Carers Services, there were plans to utilise it all before the end of the current financial year.

Councillor Gareth Davies, an employee of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, reassured the Committee that there had been a culture change within the Health Board in relation to staff training, with courses now regularly oversubscribed, and disciplinary action taken against staff who did not attend mandatory courses.  Following detailed discussion the Committee:

Resolved: - subject to the above observations to:

(i)           support the approach taken by partners in Denbighshire in continuing to work together to further develop support to Carers in Denbighshire, within the context of increasing demand, new legislation and demographic changes;

(ii)          continue to support and promote the achievements of the Strategy in order for Denbighshire’s Community Support Service (CSS) to meet its statutory obligations with regards to Carers, in partnership with statutory and third sector partners; and

(iii)         confirm that, as part of its consideration, it had read, understood and taken account of the Well-being Impact Assessment completed earlier in the year.