Agenda item

The Panel considered the draft refreshed Joint Carers Commissioning Strategy 2014-17 for the Council and Slough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Alan Sinclair, Assistant Director Adult Social Care, Commissioning and Partnership and Sally Kitson, Commissioner, Wellbeing, informed Members that the Strategy had been updated following extensive consultation with carers and stakeholders to develop the six local priorities to support carers as follows:

• Improved health and wellbeing.
• Primary health care services.
• Hospital and carers.
• Improved support for young carers.
• Training and information for professionals.
• Involving carers.

The Strategy aimed to improve the support for carers and demonstrated the value of carers to the local community.  Members were informed that census figures indicated that 11,300 people in Slough provided a caring function and that the Council and CCG were currently spending £3.6m to support carers.  Members generally felt that awareness of the support available to carers could be raised.  Officers recognised that this was a challenge and highlighted that the Strategy included measures to improve communication, for example through the appointment of a ‘GP champion’ to raise awareness with family doctors.  Members also discussed issues such as the problems faced by young carers; the flexibility and choice of respite care; and the monitoring of the strategy to ensure effective delivery and value for money.  The Assistant Director responded to these points and reported that improved support for young carers was clearly recognised as a key priority in the strategy; that steps were taken to try to provide flexibility for carers to choose the respite service provider which best met their needs; and that a range of measures were undertaken to assess services such as satisfaction surveys of clients.

The Panel agreed that it was important to recognise the vital contribution that carers made and requested that the Assistant Director consider further practical measures to recognise their role.  Following due consideration, the Panel then endorsed the Strategy.

Resolved –  That the draft Joint Carers’ Commissioning Strategy 2014-2017, including resource allocation, be endorsed.