Agenda item

The Adult Social Care Programme Manager introduced a report that updated the Panel on Stage 2 of the Adult Social Care Transformation Programme.

There continued to be significant pressures on adult social care services including a net reduction of 17% in the budget since 2013; a projected overspend in the current year of £1.8; and rising demands arising from demographic and other factors.  Stage 1 of the Transformation Programme had already delivered £4.8m of the targeted £7.9m savings by 2019, for example by reconfiguring learning disability services and a departmental restructure with a shift to community based teams.  There was uncertainty on the national funding picture with the end of the Better Care Fund confirmed for 2020 and continued delay in the Government’s adult social care reform.

The four key areas in the delivery of Stage 2 of the Transformation Programme were new ways of working; developing social capital; implementing integrated care; and promoting self care.  The Panel received a detailed update on the progress being made in each of these areas and had a wide ranging discussion about the programme, which is summarised as follows:

Integrated Care Decision Making:

·  Assurance was sought that hospital discharges were being well managed as issues were sometimes raised with Members in casework.

·  Further information on the effectiveness of projects in place to improve discharge was requested.

·  A Member queried whether the appropriate actions were being taken to ensure the home environment was safe and ready for those discharged.

·  It was crucial that the lessons were learned from incidents where the system of hospital discharge had not gone well and was training in place to address issues.

Community delivery and engagement:

·  There was general support for working more closely with communities to develop and deliver services.

·  The community asset based development pilot in Foxborough was raised and Members asked how and when it would be rolled out.  The Panel requested a copy of the analysis of the pilot when available.

·  Members queried whether communities had the resources to be able to put in place the right solutions to address local issues.

Early intervention:

·  The principle of early intervention was supported.

·  Some concern was expressed about what was in place for residents or communities not identified and supported by early intervention.

·  What safeguards were in place to support people where self care did not work and they fell back into acute services?

The Panel congratulated the ASC management and teams for continuing to support people effectively despite severe budget pressures and rising demand.  Members expressed concerns about the medium and long term national funding shortfall and the impact on services and residents locally.  This would be a key consideration in future budget decisions for the Council.

At the conclusion of the discussion the report was noted.  The Overview & Scrutiny Committee would also consider a report on the Transformation Programme at its meeting on 15^th November 2018.

Resolved –

(a)  That the progress being made in implementing the Adult Social Care Transformation Programme be noted.

(b)  That the community development projects that were being established to support the prevention of long term adult social care needs and the proposed impact that whole community approaches would have on the ability of the Council, Public Health and the NHS to support those who are the most vulnerable in our community be noted.

(c)  That it be noted that the Making Every Contact Project was looking for volunteer councillors to attend the training programme to encourage a deeper understanding of how our citizens can be empowered to take control of their issues.

(d)  That the increasing pressures that adult social care was facing with the further potential for the reduction in national one off funding be noted.