Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Dr Chowdhury. The Chair, Councillor Newcombe, had also submitted his apologies and the Vice Chair took the Chair for the meeting.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed.

Councillor Dempster declared an Other Disclosable Interest in respect of agenda item 10, the Adult Social Care Customer Portal 12 Month Update, in that she had a physical disability.

Councillor Aldred declared an Other Disclosable Interest in respect of agenda item 14, Adult Social Care Prevention Services delivered by the Voluntary and Community Sector, in that she was involved in a lunch club in the Thurncourt Ward.

In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, these interests were not considered so significant that they were likely to prejudice the respective people’s judgement of the public interest. Councillors Dempster and Aldred were not, therefore, required to withdraw from the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting of the Adult Social Care Commission held on 4 April 2017 have been circulated and the Commission is asked to confirm them as a correct record.

Members were advised that in relation to minute item 74, Continuing Health Care Funding, the recommendations made would be forwarded to the Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Commission.

AGREED:

that the minutes of the meeting of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission held 4 April 2017 be confirmed as a correct record.

The Committee is asked to note the Terms of Reference for Scrutiny Commissions as attached in Appendix A

AGREED:

                   that the Terms of Reference for Scrutiny Commissions be noted.

The Commission is asked to note the membership of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission as detailed on the front page of the agenda.

AGREED:

that the membership of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Members are asked to note the dates of future meetings of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission for 2017/2018 as follows:

Tuesday 5 September 2017

Tuesday 24 October 2017

Tuesday 12 December 2017

Tuesday 23 January 2018

Tuesday 20 March 2018

The times of meetings to be confirmed.

Members were asked to note the meeting dates for the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission as follows:

Tuesday 5 September 2017

Tuesday 24 October 2017

Tuesday 12 December 2017

Tuesday 23 January 2018

Tuesday 20 March 2018

The Chair stated that the meetings would commence at 5.30pm.

AGREED:

that the meeting dates and the start time for the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission 2017 -2018 be noted

The Monitoring Officer to report on any petitions received.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no petitions had been received.

The Monitoring Officer to report on any questions, representations or statements of case.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no questions, representations or statements of case had been received.

The Chair advised that, having regard to the attendance of Officers, she would re-order the agenda accordingly:

The Strategic Director, Adult Social Care submits a report that provides an update on the Adult Social Care Customer Portal which went live in April 2016.   The Commission will also receive a demonstration of the ASC Portal.

The Adult Social Care (ASC) Scrutiny Commission is recommended to note the report content and progress made on enhancing the ASC Portal and provide feedback and suggestions for future improvements.  

The Strategic Director, Adult Social Care (ASC) submitted a report that provided a twelve month update on the ASC Customer Portal. Prior to the consideration of the report, the Commission received a demonstration which showed how the Portal worked and how an enquiry could be made.

Members heard that the enquirer would need to provide an email address and questioned what would happen if they did not have one. The officer responded that people using the online system were likely to have an email address; the enquiry could be made by a family member or friend who was acting on the authority of the person in question.

Queries were raised regarding the number of people who terminated their enquiry before the process had finished.  Officers explained that the enquirer may have left the site because they had found the answer they were seeking or it might be because the enquirer felt that the process was not providing the information they were seeking. The Department had undertaken considerable work to streamline the process and it was now a much more straightforward system. A Member commented that she was interested in the feedback from those people who had terminated their enquiry before the process had finished and the officer responded that they were very keen to receive feedback and speak to people about their experiences. The Strategic Director added that sometimes people phoned in after they had terminated their enquiry. If they did, officers asked them if they had used the portal and if so, feedback was sought as to their experiences.

In response to questions raised, Members heard that the ASC portal was a site within the Adult Social Care pages of Leicester City Council website. The information that a person submitted on the portal went straight into the Department’s customer database. This resulted in a considerable saving of officer time in not having to transfer the information from one source into another. There were links within the portal to other websites such as NHS Choices where the user could access further information which may be relevant to their enquiry.

A Member suggested that the portal should be brought to the attention of Ward Councillors; they may be interested in arranging a training session and local Members may wish to consider how they supported awareness of the Portal through using their community meeting budget.

A Member asked whether someone with little or no English would be able to use the portal. The Deputy City Mayor responded that this was a difficult issue because any translation within the portal, would need to be offered in many different languages. A Member raised a concern that sometimes grandchildren acted as a translator for an elderly grandparent and this put the child in a very difficult situation because of the nature of the questions that were asked.  Officers explained that practitioners tended to have a pragmatic view of when a translator was needed and family members were not asked to translate when a formal assessment  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

During the municipal year 2016 / 2017, it was agreed for the Commission to undertake a Task Group Review into End of Life. The Task Group held their initial meeting into this topic and the Commission is now asked to confirm whether they would like the review to continue. 

The Chair referred to the Task Group Review into End of Life and asked Members to agree to set this aside for the time being.

The Chair also asked Members to consider possible topics for future Task Group Reviews. One suggestion had already been received which was to look into best practice across the country aimed at addressing loneliness.

AGREED:

that for the time being, no further work be carried out on the Task Group Review into End of Life.

The Strategic Director, Adult Social Care submits a report that sets out Adult Social Care’s Primary Purpose Statement and Strategic Priorities for 2017/18. The Adult Social Care Commission is asked to note and comment on the Primary Purpose Statement and the revised Strategic Priorities for 2017/18.

The Strategic Director, Adult Social Care (ASC) submitted a report that set out the ASC’s primary purpose statement and strategic priorities for 2017/18.

The Strategic Director explained that the primary purpose statement provided a framework to help deliver the strategic priorities; those priorities were the key issues that the service would be working to during the year.

The Chair expressed approval for the strategic priorities and the primary purpose statement explaining that it included everything that she would wish to see. She expressed a hope that through this, people would be helped to have healthier lifestyles and happier lives.

AGREED:

that the primary purpose statement and revised strategic priorities for 2017-18 be noted.

The Strategic Director, Adult Social Care submits a report that provides an update to the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission on the procurement of new domiciliary services to be in place from 9 October 2017. 

The ASC Scrutiny Commission is asked to note the outcome of the procurement exercise and to provide comment.

The Strategic Director submitted a report that provided an update on the procurement of new domiciliary services, which were to be in place from 9 October 2017.

The Strategic Director explained that a report on the intention to procure had previously been considered by the Commission, and Members comments had been fed into the process. A procurement exercise had been carried out jointly with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and both the Leicester City Council and the CCG would be using the same framework contract of providers. One of the Council’s main providers would not be continuing after 9 October; however those people who used that provider would be able to continue with them under the direct payment scheme.

At the request of Members, the Strategic Director agreed to bring an update on the domiciliary care procurement to the Commission in the new-year, and also a verbal update in September. He said that it was important to know that those people who wished to remain with their current provider had a smooth transition. 

AGREED:

1)    that the outcome of the procurement exercise be noted; and

2)    that the Commission receive a verbal update at their September meeting and a further report early in 2018.

The Commission will receive a verbal update on the programme of work being undertaken over the coming 18 months aimed at supporting children and young people with a disability with the transition into adulthood and the services available to support them and their families.

The Strategic Director provided a verbal update on progress being made towards the provision of transitional care from children’s to adult services. Points made included the following:

·     A group had been set up across Adult Social Care and Children’s Services to focus on practical issues and possible improvements that could be achieved quickly. Consideration was being given as to the age when transition should start; this might be at 14 years for example.

·     It was hoped to set up a Transition Board in September or October, which would include someone who had been through the transition process (a young person or parent for example) acting as Chair or Joint Chair and other service users.

·     It was hoped to be able to report back to the Commission in the new-year, on progress made.

Members expressed approval for the plans relating to transitional care. Comments were made that services for adults were very different to those services that were provided for young people and it was important for families to understand this. Members also welcomed the plans that that younger people possibly at 14 years of age, would be involved in transitional arrangements.  The importance of an update being brought to the Commission was emphasised.

AGREED:

1)    that the update on Transitional Care be noted; and

2)    that a further update be brought back to the Commission

The Strategic Director, Adult Social Care submits a report that provides the Commission with an overview of the proposed changes to preventative services delivered by the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) funded by Adult Social Care. The Commission is recommended to note the report and provide feedback on the proposals in the consultation.  

The Strategic Director submitted a report that provided an overview of the proposed changes to preventative services delivered by the voluntary and community sector (VCS), funded by Adult Social Care (ASC).  Members heard that a new ASC Prevention and Wellbeing Grant Fund had been created and received with positive interest.

Members considered the report and raised comments and queries which included the following:

·     The Grant Fund was generally considered to be a good initiative and good way forward which would shape services for a wider group of people. Concerns were expressed that the remit of the grant should include questions about longer term sustainability. The Strategic Director explained that the grant gave a modest sum of money to groups to help them get their project started and it was not aimed at long term investment in specific projects.

·     Concerns were expressed as to how those people who required specialist services would be able to access that help if those services had their funding reduced. The Deputy City Mayor responded that the proposals were out for consultation and they would look at any such concerns raised. However there was a need to make financial savings and he believed that the flexibility of the grant provided exciting opportunities to try new initiatives.

·     The problem of loneliness was raised and a Member commented that this was a key issue. Coffee mornings and lunch clubs were said to offer a valuable opportunity to bring people together, particularly where people could grow and cook their own food. A Member commented that while there was a role for lunch clubs, there were people now who wanted a different offer and coffee morning ‘drop ins’, especially if held more than once a week, could be more helpful. There was also a need to diversify.

·     The Chair asked that the process of applying for a grant would be one that community people would understand. The Deputy City Mayor responded that he did not want the process to be unduly bureaucratic, but intended that it would be straightforward, transparent and of benefit to the community. However it also needed to be about accountability. Recipients of grant funding would be required to submit feedback; the council needed to know that the money was well spent. In addition, feedback would enable the sharing of good ideas. 

The Chair concluded the discussion and asked for an update on the consultation to be brought to a future meeting of the Commission.

AGREED:

1)    that the report be noted; and

2)   for feedback on the consultation be brought to a future meeting of the Commission.

The current work programme for the Commission is attached.  The Commission is asked to consider this and make comments and/or amendments as it considers necessary.

The Strategic Director commented that officers needed reasonable time to prepare and bring reports to a meeting and that it would be helpful to have items for business on the work programme to aid planning.

The Chair asked Members to email Jerry Connolly, the Scrutiny Policy Officer, with any suggestions for items of business for the work programme.

The meeting closed at 7.15pm.