Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor J R Marriott.

No declarations of Councillors' interests were received at this stage of the proceedings.

RESOLVED

That the Minutes of the Adults Scrutiny Committee held on 9 December 2015, be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

(To receive a report from Nicola Tallent, Senior Officer for Engagement and Enter and View, Healthwatch Lincolnshire, which provides the Scrutiny Committee with an update on Adult Care activity)

Consideration was given to a report from Nicola Tallent, Officer for Engagement and Enter and View, Healthwatch Lincolnshire, which provided the Scrutiny Committee with an update on Adult Care activity.

In guiding the Committee through the report, particular reference was made to:-

·         Care Act Work;

·         Seldom Heard Voices;

·         Mental Health;

·         Current Work;

·         Future Plans;

·         Themes or Trends Relating to Adult Care; and

·         Engagement Work for 2016.

During discussion, the Scrutiny Committee made reference to the following:-

·         That signposting was very important, but it was very important that information signposted to was kept up to date and refreshed frequently.  It was agreed that this could not be done by one method alone.  The Committee was advised that the Council was currently working on a web facility which was due to be completed by the summer.  It was also felt that any web based system needed to be developed in partnership across the community.  It was also noted that communication by organisations such as Seldom Voice was also a very good way to get messages across.  A copy of the Seldom Heard Voice report was attached at Appendix A to the report presented.  Members welcomed the report;

·         The health and care of prisoners or veterans. The Committee was advised that some specialist work was being been done to consider health and care services in prisons; and work was also currently going on within North Sea Camp; and Lincoln to develop prison champions to support feedback mechanisms.  In addition, further work was being done looking at the capacity of Formal Prison Visitors. 

It was reported that Community Links were currently looking at a piece of work with veterans;

·         What could be done to improve mental health services.  It was noted that Healthwatch were waiting for the outcome of the CQC report, on Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which was due to be released shortly.  Healthwatch had however, produced two reports, and were concerned about the level of services available impacting on patient care and safety.  It was highlighted that there was continued dialogue with South West Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who were the lead CCG responsible for mental health in Lincolnshire.  The challenges around mental health were recognised; and there was recognition that there was work to be done.  The Committee was advised that the NHS had commissioned a mental health specialist to work at each A & E point; and that the Government had introduced a Parity of Esteem Policy, and that additional funding had been made available to the NHS to ensure that mental health services would improve.  It was highlighted that the outcome of the CQC report in February/March might be something the Committee might want to consider at a future meeting;

·         Some members felt that the sample for the Enter and View was too small; and could not be representative across the County. The Committee was advised that a report was due to be published on, or around the 20 January 2016, which looked at how residents spend  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48.

(To receive a report from David Laws, Adult Care Strategy Financial Advisor, which provides the Scrutiny Committee with details of the Adult Care revenue and capital budget for 2016/17.  The Committee are invited to comment on the budget proposals prior to them being discussed at the Executive meeting on 2 February 2016)

Consideration was given to a report from David Laws (Adult Care Strategy Financial Advisor), which provided the Committee with the Adult Care revenue and capital budget for 2016/17.  The Committee were invited to comment on the budget proposals, prior to them being discussed at the Executive at its meeting on 2 February 2016.

Glen Garrod (Director of Adult Social Services) introduced the report and advised the Committee that there had been 8,000 responses to the budget consultation; also some people had been donating money anonymously to help with the impending budget cuts.

The Adult Care Strategy Financial Advisor guided the Committee through the report presented, making particular reference to the fact that the Executive was currently consulting on a one year financial plan for revenue and capital budgets.  It was noted that this was the second year running that the Council had only been able to set a one year budget, as a result of continued reductions in government funding, along with growing cost pressures from demand services such as Adult Care, Children's Services and the implementation of the National Living Wage.

It was reported that the Adult Care budget had been set bearing in mind the increasing demographic pressure and cost pressures.  This had resulted in a pressure of £3.946m in 2016/17, in addition to the funded pressure already identified of £4.951m arising from demographic growth.

In November 2015, Adult Care had identified savings of £3.370m from the Fundamental Budget Review to be delivered in 2016/17.  In the autumn further additional savings needed were identified to help close the Council's funding gap, the proposed budget therefore identified a revised savings requirement of £5.332m in 2016/17, an increase of £1.962m.

As a result of the implications of the Care Act that came in for April 2015 on Adult Care, £6.4m had been received.  It was noted that £400,000 had been given-back to the Council to help with the overall budgetary pressures along with the 2014/15 Adult Care underspend of £1.1m.

The Spending review in November 2015 had also announced the creation of a social care precept of 2% to give local authorities with responsibility for social care the ability to raise new funding to spend on adult social care.  It was highlighted that this was estimated to be £4.745m in 2016/17 if implemented.  Also, the Spending Review announced that £1.5bn would be added to the national ring-fenced Better Care Fund progressively from 2017/18 reaching £1.5bn in 2019/20.

It was reported that negotiations were currently ongoing with regard to the Lincolnshire County Councils BCF allocation for 2016/17.  The final submission would have to be agreed between the four CCGs and the Executive for April 2016.

Details of the Adult Care budget proposals were detailed on pages 55 to 57 of the report presented.

The Committee were advised that Adult Care had revised its Capital Strategy and Investment Plan for 2015/16 onwards, as part of a renewal of its commitment to infrastructure developments.  The report detailed plans totalling £11,300,000 over six areas  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

(To receive a report from Justin Hackney, Assistant Director, Specialist Adult Services, which provides the Scrutiny Committee with on the Review of In-House Day Services)

The Committee gave consideration to a report from Justin Hackney (Assistant Director, Specialist Adult Services), which provided an update on the review of in-house day services.

It was reported that following a thorough process of due diligence and risk assessment it had been concluded that it would be more beneficial to retain the services in-house.  As a result, a review of the building stock was carried out, and also a review of the quality and sustainability of the service to ensure that the service moving forward would be fit for purpose.

The Assistant Director, Specialist Adult Services drew the Committees attention to page 62 of the report, which provided a summary of the recommendations contained within Appendix A to the report presented.

It was highlighted that not all buildings were suitable and as a result alternative venues were being sought in Louth, Market Rasen and Grantham.  Full details were contained within Appendix A to the report presented.

During consideration, the Committee highlighted the following issues:-

·         Support was expressed for proposals detailed.  It was felt that once work was completed the facilities needed to be communicated to the community.  The provision was a service that could potentially be built on.  The Committee was reassured that the purpose for the buildings was to be a community asset; and work would be done to identify facilities and potential usage;

·         That modernisation works would be completed over the next few months with a view to completion towards the end April;

·         Frequency of sessions – It was confirmed that existing opening hours would remain;

·         It was agreed that arrangements would be made with day centres to arrange suitable times for a number of members to visit a number of the Day Centres, once the work had been completed.  A further update report would then be completed for Adults Scrutiny in June 2016;

·         It was highlighted that sustainability of the services would be determined by service users ultimately choosing to use the facilities;

·         The possibility of approaching local colleges within the localities regarding work experience for students for painting and decorating, carpentry, and building works was suggested;

·         The Committee extended their thanks to David Watson, for all his input over the years with regard to day centres; and

·         Consultation process – The Committee was advised that all comments had been included in the decision report in relation to Boston and Skegness Centres to the Executive Councillor with responsibility for Adult Services.

RESOLVED

1.    That the update report be noted.

2.    That arrangements be made by the Assistant Director Specialist Adult Services for members of the Committee to visit In-House Day Service Centres once work has been completed.

3.    That an update report be on progress made relating to In-House Day Services be presented to the June meeting of the Adult Scrutiny Committee.

(To receive a report from Simon Evans, Health Scrutiny Officer, which invites the Committee to consider its work programme for the coming months)

Consideration was given to a report from Richard Wills, Executive Director responsible for Democratic Services, which enabled the Committee to consider its work programme for its forthcoming meetings.  A copy of the work plan was detailed at Appendix A.  Appendix B provided the Committee with tracking information relating to the items considered by the Committee since June 2013.

The Health Scrutiny Officer advised that he was still waiting for confirmation as to whether the Adults Safeguarding report would be considered at the February meeting, or whether it would be considered at a future meeting.

The Committee enquired whether a Task and Finish Group/Working Group should be established to look into Domiciliary Care.  It was agreed that this would be discussed further at the pre-meeting scheduled to be held on Monday 1 February 2016.

Another item suggested for consideration was Volunteers, although it was suggested that this might be an item that should be considered by the Communities and Public Safety Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED

That the work programme as set out in appendix A to the report presented be noted, subject to the inclusion of the items discussed above.