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Adult Social Services Review Panel
Wednesday, 24th April, 2013

Adult Social Services Review Panel Minutes

Date:
Wednesday 24th April 2013
Time:
5.00 p.m.
Place:
Town Hall, Katharine Street, Croydon,
 

Attendance Details

Present:

Councillor Margaret Mead (Chair)

Councillors Jane Avis, Adam Kellett and Donald Speakman

Also present:
Officers Hannah Miller, Edwina Morris, Harsha Ganatra and Pauline French, Managing Director of Croydon Care Solutions Ltd
Absent:
Councillor Pat Clouder
Apologies for absence:
Councillor Pat Clouder

Item Item/Resolution
MINUTES - PART A
A11/13 MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 30TH JANUARY 2013

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Adult Social Services Review Panel's meeting held on 30th January 2013 be signed as a correct record.

A12/13 DISCLOSURE OF INTEREST

Councillor Margaret Mead declared that she was a court governor of the Whitgift Foundation and is a member of the Care Committee.

A13/13 URGENT BUSINESS (IF ANY)

None

A14/13 EXEMPT ITEMS

RESOLVED that the allocation of items between Part A and Part B of the agenda be confirmed.

A15/13 PERSONALISATION & REABLEMENT

The Interim Director of Personal Support presented the report explaining that Personalisation was the way the Council conducts assessment to help those people receiving support, live in their own homes and have a choice over the shape of that support in all care and support settings. She went on to explain that the Reablement and recovery service was aimed at preventing the need for long term support for individuals who are returning home from extended hospital stays and help them to regain confidence and skills. The work was being developed in partnership with Health organisations and private provider contractor in Homes for the Future.

 

The Chair of the Panel thanked the officer and welcomed the progress made on reablement, particularly relating to paragraphs 4.6 sheltered housing, 4.12 investment by Croydon CCG and 6.2 multi agency groups, of the report.

 

Members asked a number of questions including about personal budget allocations and how they are managed.

 

The officers replied to the questions raised and advised that personal budgets are ‘need' assessed and reviewed on an ongoing basis.

The Panel RESOLVED to note the report.

A16/13 CROYDON CARERS STRATEGY 2011-2016

Officers presented their report and gave a short presentation on the Carers Strategy and Carer Hub Development.

The carers strategy of 2011-2016 (the strategy) updates the previous strategy of 2008 -11 and is aligned with the Coalition Government's 2011 refresh of the National Carers Strategy, ‘Recognised, valued and supported: next steps for the Carers Strategy'. The Government's refresh recognises the value of preventative services which save the Council/health services from increased expenditure in the long term on the person cared for and the carer. Preventative services which save statutory services from further expenditure are especially important in the current financial climate.

The strategy has been the subject of consultation with all known stakeholders and their responses have been incorporated into it.

The strategy, amongst other things, is being used to implement commissioning plans for carers services, including the development of the Carers Hub, which are preventative, personalized, cost effective and targeted to meet the carers' needs directly as opposed to funds being locked within providers' costs.

 

The officer gave a brief introduction into the background of the Hub which offers support to carers by way of access to specialist carers advice, advocacy and support services and carers training and young carers services, access to breaks - ‘fix yourself a break' scheme, access to counselling services for carers (121 and via telephone, a carers cafĂ© and aims to improve carers' quality of life and potential to work with health, public health and other statutory services.

 

The Carers Hub will be located in George Street and will be a walk in centre that is aimed at improving the life of carers, especially young carers in Croydon.

 

Members asked questions regarding concerning the range age of young carers and asked how they can use the hub, the cost of the hub and involvement of local health organisations.

 

The Chair of the panel thanked officers for the detailed report and presentation and the Panel RESOLVED to note the progress made on the new Croydon Carers Strategy 2011 -16: The next steps for carers in Croydon.

A17/13 UPDATE ON THE LOCAL AUTHORITY TRADING COMPANY

The Chair of the panel welcomed Pauline French, the newly appointed Managing Director of Croydon Care Solutions Ltd.

In presenting her report the Ms French advised that since the previous presentation to the Panel in October 2012, the Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) continued to develop. The company had appointed not only her own position but also a new Chair, Ms Sarah Charles. The three principal areas of the business, Croydon Equipment Service, Croydon Learning Disability Day Services and the Employment Service were all progressing well and it is intended to introduce an Autism Service.

 

The Local Authority Trading Company is a finalist in the prestigious, National Government Opportunities (GO) Excellence in Public Procurement Awards 2013/14. This is a fantastic recognition of progress and achievement for the procurement activity, in the integrated procurement hub and the impact it is having on the equipment market. This is particularly so given the level of competition from across the UK for these Awards.

The Equipment service is the first in the UK to have achieved Community Equipment Code of Practice Scheme (CECOPS) accreditation.

The company focuses upon what will make the most difference to an individual and their lives. As a consequence there are many successful outcomes for individuals some of the case studies were noted in a Part B attachment to the report. It has also highlighted the need to focus upon therapeutic interventions which skill individuals to lead an ordinary life and support families to live as they wish.


Members of the panel asked questions relating to funding of the LATC and ownership of buildings occupied by the Company and the management of the accounts. It was confirmed that the Council's Director of Finance was the Council's representative on the board to ensure the Council's interest was being protected.

 

The Chair of the Panel congratulated the MD on the nomination for the award and the recognition of the work that was being undertaken. She asked that the Panel's congratulation be passed on to the Chair of the board and all staff involved.

 

The panel RESOLVED to note the report.
 

A18/13 CQC THEMED INSPECTION OF CARE HOMES FOR OLDER PEOPLE

The CQC carried out a themed inspection of 500 residential care and nursing homes across England between April and October 2012. The standards considered related to dignity and nutrition under the headings of ‘respect and involving people', ‘nutrition', ‘safeguarding', ‘staffing' and ‘records'.

 

Of the 500 care homes inspected only 5 of the homes are within Croydon. However the lessons from the inspections have relevance for all homes in Croydon, for the service users and their families, for commissioners and providers. Alongside this series of themed inspections, the CQC is carrying out a regular inspection plan of registered care providers and we check each week the outcomes of the inspections that relate to providers operating in Croydon.

 

Members asked questions about various aspects of the CQC report and the recent poor media coverage of the CQC. Officers replied that the Council have a good relationship with the CQC and the local area manager and were working well together. The recent restructure of the CQC means that the generic inspection model currently used doesn't necessary apply to all areas, i.e. care homes & hospitals and that in the future they will revert to a inspection and grading standards for care homes.

 

The panel RESOLVED to note the report.

A19/13 FUTURE WORK PROGRAMME

Following a discussion a number of topics were put forward for future meetings subject to further discussion between the Chair and Executive Director as follows;

16 July 2013

Adult Social Care Annual Complaints report - example and outcomes. How the information is used to improve the service.

Implementing Croydon Action Plan following the Winterbourne recommendations

Dignity and Care update report.

Older People's Strategy

 

There was a request that Mike Corrigan, Head of Service Joint Commissioner Learning Disabilities attend the July meeting to give a short presentation on Development and Learning Disability Service.

 

The Panel RESOLVED that the report be noted.

A20/13 DATES OF FUTURE MEETINGS

The Panel noted the dates for the next two meetings.

16 July 2013

2 October 2013

A21/13 CAMERA RESOLUTION

Was moved and seconded and RESOLVED: that the Press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or proceedings to be conducted, that there will be disclosure of confidential or exempt information falling within paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.

SUMMARY of proceedings of exempt part B proceedings
(Section 100C(2) LGA 1972 requires a summary to be provided without disclosing the exempt information where in consequence of exclusion of parts of the minutes which display exempt information the minutes of the meeting would not be intelligible as a record
 

MINUTES - PART B
B22/13 UPDATE ON THE LOCAL AUTHORITY TRADING COMPANY
  • Case Studies - (25K/bytes)

The Panel noted the exempt information contained in the appendix to agenda item 8.

B23/13 SAFEGUARDING ADULTS SERVICES
  • Report (27K/bytes)

The report contained details of two Care Homes causing serious concerns. Each home was discussed in turn identifying why it was causing serious concern and after each discussion the Councils actions on each Home was noted.

The meeting ended at 18:46.