Agenda item

The Adult Social Care (ASC) Programme Manager, Simon Lawrence, provided the Committee with an overview of the progress made by the  programme since 2015. The programme of work being undertaken had been devised to oversee improvements to social care practice under the Care Act 2014, the development of new ways of working, NHS integration and deliver £7.9m of savings for the period 2015-19.

Members were reminded of the background as to why change was required, which included:

Ø  The current models of public service delivery and how they related to the public were not sustainable for the long term. In England the need for social care was rising from increasing numbers of older and disabled people (+2.8%), people with learning disability (+1.2%) and people with MH needs (+1.7%) between 2016 and 2017.

Ø  Raising customer expectation and increasing choice and control

Ø  Providers finding it difficult to retain & recruit staff, maintain quality improvements and margins (in 2017, 67% of LAs reported provider closures nationally)

Ø  Since 206 local non-elective admissions to hospital had increased.

Ø  Long term funding proposals were not sustainable unless they addressed the needs of the whole of the population and not just older people.

The Committee were informed that a number of measures were being implemented to address the issues raised. Preventative approaches were being developed to enable residents to become more able to support themselves to live independent and healthy lives. Capacity within the community, to enable a focus on supporting more people to manage their own health, care and support needs and targeting individuals most at risk of poor health were being developed.

Since 2013 there had been a 17% reduction in the Adult Social Care budget and the ASC Programme had been developed to manage demand and deliver savings of up to £7.9m. It was noted that the Better Care Fund (NHS contribution towards Adult Social Care) would cease in 2020. The Council in its budget setting had introduced a 3% precept on the Council Tax for 2018/19 towards Adult Social Care Services. Details of the main projects in Tranche 1(2015-17) of the programme were outlined, with specific focus on performance areas that required improvement.

Tranche 2 (2018-20) of the Programme highlighted the four key areas in delivery of the programme as new ways of working, develop social capital, implement integrated care and promote self care.

Members raised a number of issues in the ensuing discussion, including what services were available to individuals who required support from mental health services. Members were informed that a Social Prescription Service had been developed, which provided individuals with both support in the community and introduction to services available to them within the locality. Responding to what incentives were being used to recruit and retain key workers at Slough, the ASC Programme Manager confirmed that social care workers were paid a London weighting in addition to their salary and an apprenticeship scheme had been introduced. It was acknowledged that recruiting Domiciliary Care Workers was difficult and to ensure a consistent and constant supply of workers, the Council was working in partnership with the NHS via the Transformation Programme to address the matter.

Members requested that the Health Scrutiny Panel be requested to monitor the implementation of the Tranche 2 Implement Integrated Care and Promote Self Care outcomes and that the Overview and Scrutiny be provided with a progress update in six months time.

Resolved -  That details of the report are noted and specifically;

a)  The progress made in the delivery of the transformation programme.

b)  The cessation of important incomes streams namely the Better Care Fund (ceases 2020) and the time limited financial support provided by the Adult Social Care precept and the implications that this will have to the department.

c)  The increasing demand on services generated by the current case load and the future medium-term changes in population demographics in Slough and how this will impact the delivery and quality of services locally.

d)  The need for meaningful conversation with the Citizens of Slough regarding the impact that population and budget pressures will have and the role they have in supporting the vision for adult social care in Slough.