Agenda item

(To receive a report by Robin Bellamy, Wellbeing Commissioning Manager, which provides the Committee with an update on the recently recommissioned Wellbeing Service and the contracted Telecare Service which is now delivered separately as part of the Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES))

Consideration was given to a report which provided the Committee with an update of the Wellbeing Service and Telecare Service.  It was reported that the Wellbeing Service had recently been re-commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council and had successfully gone live on 1 April 2018, delivered by Wellbeing Lincs.  Wellbeing Lincs was a consortium of all seven district councils with East Lindsey District Council (ELDC) being the contracted lead provider.  The service continued to operate with a preventative focus, reducing and delaying the need of the local population for more costly Adult Care and Acute Hospital services.

It was also reported that the authority's contracted telecare service was now delivered separately to the Wellbeing Services by NRS Healthcare (NRS) as part of the Integrated Community Equipment Services (ICES).  In addition, there remained a number of commercial telecare services locally and nationally, promoting customer choice.

Members were informed that referrals into the Wellbeing Service averaged 27 per day during November, which was an increase in the number stated in the report (21 per day).  This figure was across the county.  The service was achieving a high level of outcomes and user satisfaction with 95% of service users reporting positive improvements across their self – determined outcomes.

Members received a short presentation from two of the district council representatives which provided further information in relation to the following areas:

·         District Council Delivery

·         Our Strengths

·         Service Development

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

·         It was noted that this service was also assisting with winter pressures, by helping people to get out of hospital and also by keeping them out of hospital and in their own home.

·         This service was also finding people who could be stuck in the system, and it gave an opportunity to flag up such individuals and refer into the service.

·         Talks were about to commence with Fire and Rescue to see whether there was an opportunity for responders to be co-located.

·         There was an awareness that in some areas of the county a response could take longer.

·         It was commented that the Wellbeing Service was an excellent service.

·         It was also commented that trying to keep people in their own homes was commendable and it was queried whether there was any analysis of post code information. 

·         It was noted that the service was now receiving a large number of referrals, and it had been estimated how many would come from each district, to help inform staffing structures etc.  Referrals would be mapped out by post code to determine whether there were any hot spots, then officers would be able to review where staff should be based.  It was important that this was carried out continuously, and it was noted that district council boundaries were not taken account of when calculating the distribution of staff.  Resources would be moved where they were needed regardless of location.

·         Efficiency improvements were continuously sought, and it was confirmed that it would be possible to identify any 'cold spots' as well to ensure that the people who needed the service were being reached.

·         The contract was very clear in expecting the provider to target hospitals, where there would be those people that would need the service.  However, the Service did not want hospitals to be the only source of referrals, particularly as an added challenge with hospitals was the high staff turnover.

·         It was also important to use community hospitals too, as there were a lot of services they could offer which would be available more quickly than the larger hospitals.

·         It was queried whether there was the capacity to increase the service if required, it was confirmed that if there was higher than expected demand it would be possible to generate extra funding in order to meet that demand.

·         It was noted that the Commercial Team met on a monthly basis to review the contact, including how staffing was deployed as well as if there were any hot or cold spots.

·         It was noted that this was a unique partnership.  As pressures developed, districts could work together to work out how best to deal with them and transfer resources to meet those pressures.

·         It was queried how the service was promoted and whether the message was getting out to the population well enough.  Members were advised that there was a single phone number and all referrals went through the Customer Service Centre.  Officers were confident the message was being publicised, including an item in County News to publicise the service.  It was likely that the number of referrals would exceed the initial targets.  It was also confirmed that there was a communications plan to ensure that the message was publicised.  It was noted that there would always be hot and cold spots.

·         The relationships with other organisations were key, and it was highlighted that the service would be supporting Fire and Rescue with its home safety work.  The Wellbeing Service would train Fire and Rescue in wellbeing and Fire and Rescue would train wellbeing service staff in home safety.

·         It was highlighted that work was ongoing with the ambulance service so that people could be taken straight to a community hospital following a fall.  There was a need for a whole system response to falls.

·         It was queried whether there would be an issue with what agencies knew about people if every agency and organisation were talking to each other.

·         It was noted that referrals into the wellbeing service were by consent, and were very outcome focused, but there was eligibility criteria which needed to be met.

·         People were offered services for between six and twelve weeks, as it was not the intention for people to keep re-entering the service, however, if their needs changed then they may require the service again.  It would very much be in the individual service user's control.

·         It was confirmed that this would be connected to the integrated lifestyle support contract.

·         By the end of the twelve weeks, connections should have been made with other services.

·         It was queried whether the service was free, and it was noted that there may be slight costs for any equipment or Telecare response.  It was noted that the Service did try and keep the cost for any equipment as low as possible, and would also install any equipment for free.  There was a focus on keeping it affordable for people.  There was a facility for people to be able to pay in instalments if they would find it difficult to pay all in one go.  It was also noted that if someone was really struggling to afford it and they needed the equipment, the costs could be written off.

·         It was commented that if someone was living alone and the Wellbeing Service could offer a fitting service, this would give peace of mind.

·         It was noted that there would be an annual review of how the service was performing and whether demand was growing.

·         It was noted that the Service had been shortlisted in the LGC awards, and winners would be announced in March 2019.  It was highlighted that the national recognition for the service was positive.

·         It was commented that the single delivery model was the right way forward and the service represented a good model of integrated working between the district councils and the county council.

RESOLVED

            That the Committee note the successful re-procurement of the Wellbeing Service and the transfer of the Telecare Services to the Integrated Community Equipment Service contract.