Agenda item

(To receive a report by Theo Jarratt, County Manager Performance, Quality and Development, which presents performance against Council Business Plan targets for the Directorate as at the end of Quarter 1 2018/19)

Consideration was given to a report which presented performance against Council Business Plan targets for the directorates as at the end of Quarter 1 2018/19.

Members were advised that there had been three indicators highlighted by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board.  It was also highlighted that there were some areas where no data was available, particularly in relation to Public Health as there were new indicators in place.  it was also noted that for some of the measures there was no current data due to a time lag in reporting times.

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         In terms of number of carers supported, owing to increases in overall population 10,550 carers would need to be supported by the end of March 2019 in order to achieve this target.  It was noted this target had been increased from the previous year, and members were informed that a further 494 carers would need to be provided with support for the target to be achieved.

·         It was commented that there were a lot of people who were not on the carer's register who probably should be.  It was also noted that the information in relation to carers was not analysed by age, the work carers up to age 30, were doing would impact on their lives later on.  It was noted that this information could be analysed into age bands in the future, however, it was also noted that the statistics did include those carers under the age of 18 who were supported by the Carers Service.

·         It was commented that the focus on this committee was more about the adult, and was it the role of Children's Services to ensure that young carers were supported.  Members were advised that there were a number of projects going on around supporting working age carers.

·         In terms of the target: 'Carers who had as much social contact as they would like', it was noted that this target had been missed by a very narrow percentage.  It was noted that another survey of carers would be undertaken in November 2018.  However, it was noted that the older the carer, the greater the tendency to state they were happy with the level of social contact.  Work was ongoing to determine what the needs of carers were.

·         The target 'Adults who received a direct payment' – there would be a need to increase this number by around 240 people over the course of the next three months.  It was acknowledged that this was an ambitious target.

·         It was suggested whether there was a need for support for carers to be promoted better by all, including strategic partners.

·         It was noted that LPFT had been through a significant staffing review, including a recruitment process, and were now back up to capacity in terms of operational teams.

·         'People in receipt of long term support who have been reviewed' - it was commented that it was good to see that this was now on track.

·         'Adults aged 18-64 with a mental health need in receipt of long term support who have been reviewed' – it was noted that this measure was not on target and it was queried what the Council's duty in relation to this was.  It was noted that this was set out in the Care Act, and there was confidence that performance would increase for next quarter, as there were penalties if the target was not met.

·         The target: 'Safeguarding enquiries where the 'source of risk' is a service provider' – it was noted that there had been a change to the way this was recorded.  It was also this that this was the first occasion in which enquiries investigated by the providers had been included.  This was seen as positive that providers felt able to share these incidents with the authority.

·         It was commented that if officers did not feel that the right indicators were being measured then alternatives should be brought to the Committee.  It was noted some of the indicators were set nationally, but they were not always the best way to measure quality of service.

RESOLVED

            That the performance information presented be noted.