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Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Meeting Rooms G.01 and G.02, Ground Floor, City Hall, 115 Charles Street, Leicester, LE1 1FZ

Contact: Anita Patel tel: 0116 454 6342. Email:  anita.patel@leicester.gov.uk  Aqil Sarang tel: 0116 454 5591 Email:  aqil.sarang@leicester.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

26.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Govind.

27.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

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

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair noted that he had an ongoing declaration in which that his wife worked for the Reablement Team.

28.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 143 KB

The minutes of the meeting of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission held on 26 August 2021 have been circulated and the Commission is asked to confirm them as a correct record.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair noted that in terms  of progress on actions recorded in the previous meeting, reports from Healthwatch Leicester and Leicestershire requested from Members had been circulated and the item had been added to the work programme to be considered early in the new year.

 

The item Domiciliary Care was an ongoing item on the Commissions work programme and was also included within the Task Group review. Additionally, the Carers Technology topic would be added to the work programme.

 

The Item on the Procurement Plan was on this evening’s agenda for consideration by the Commission.  

 

AGREED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission on 26 August 2021 be confirmed as a correct record.

29.

PETITIONS

The Monitoring Officer to report on any petitions received.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer noted that none had been received.

30.

QUESTIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND STATEMENTS OF CASE

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Monitoring Officer noted that none had been received

31.

COVID19 UPDATE pdf icon PDF 157 KB

The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education will provide the latest Covid19 and care home mandatory vaccination process updates.

 

Members of the Commission are recommended to pass any comments to the Strategic Director for Social Care and Education.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education provided the Commission with the latest updates.

It was noted that:

·         The National Dashboard provided information on the infection rates and the number of positive cases in care homes.

·         In the week commencing 25 September 2021 there were 18 positive cases, of which 11 were staff members and 7 residents. Most of these were associated with an outbreak in one care home and things were in place for providing the necessary support to the care home at concern.

·         Positive cases in care homes had fallen, and Leicester was currently second lowest positive rate in the region. Over last couple weeks community infections had fallen incredibly one of the best regionally.

It was noted that there remained a significant burden to providers around testing and infection control in care homes and that the DHSC had been supplying additional funding for care providers on a formula basis to cover cost of associated activities.

 

Although the funding had been due to expire on 30 September, the scheme had at the last minute been extended until the end of March, though the Service were yet to be informed on what would be allocated. Estimates of what could be made available were based on previous rounds of funding. Additionally, guidance on what the funding could be spent on was also not yet available.

 

VACCINATIONS

Following a national public consultation, the Department for Health and Social Care had laid regulations for full mandatory vaccination for anyone that entered the care home environment in a professional capacity. The change in regulation affected some 500 council staff and the requirement comes into effect on 11 November 2021. It was the legal duty on care homes to check staff vaccination status and the CQC would monitor this as part of their inspections. 

 

The NHS were maintaining a 12-week gap between the two doses, over 90% staff have had their first dose and 85% have had both doses. The department were working extremely closely with care homes to monitor the number of vaccinated staff and looking at any operational issues and contingency plans that may need to be put in place. This would include working with staff who have not been vaccinated and looking at staff rotas and recruiting new staff where required. The department were concerned with a small number of staff but, Officers were hopeful that, come the deadline date there would be no disruption to the delivery of service.

 

It was also noted that the Government were considering mandatory vaccination to all staff who work within health and social care and Officers felt that it was likely that this would be announced in the near future. There had been some reports of staff resigning from care homes roles to go to work in the NHS, so this new plan could unravel more problems.

 

It was suggested that, there were a variety of people who the vaccines were not suitable for and information on clinal exemptions had not yet been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

32.

PROCUREMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 110 KB

The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education submits information providing the restructured table of the Procurement Plan.

 

Members of the Commission are recommended to pass any comments to the Strategic Director for Social Care and Education.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Commissioning introduced the reordered procurement plan 21/23 adults and children’s services.

 

It was noted that not all procurement is guaranteed, as there is a review process which could deem it unnecessary to go to market. The plan also showed the reviewed status of procurement activity, the status of contracts out for procurement and items at pre procurement stage which could be discussed further.

 

As part of the discussions Members thanked Officers for the new format and queried with officers whether Domestic Violence could be brought to Scrutiny. It was noted that Domestic Violence did not fit into the Strategic Director for Social Care and Education’s portfolio and it was a topic that went to the Neighbourhood Services Scrutiny Commission. Members suggested that they were happy if the Neighbourhoods Services Scrutiny covered the item but would add it to the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission’s work programme if it was appropriate to be covered at this Commission.

 

Members of the Commission queried contract extensions and the impact of these contracts on the delivery of service. It was noted that in many cases the service were able to extend the duration of contracts within the terms of the original contracts, subject to them still meeting the needs of the people drawing on those services. It was further noted that there had been times where the service had to go beyond the terms of the contracts although this was in very few cases. Over the past 18 months there had been issues with the market’s ability to respond to a tender.

 

Members suggested that the Commission should consider looking into Extra Care Development contracts at a future meeting. Members were aware and appreciated commercial confidentiality but suggested that these contracts could be considered in a private session and the Director for Adult Social Care and Commissioning welcomed a discussion with Members on Extra Care Developments in terms of future procurement and an early conversations with Members would be beneficial.

 

Members raised their concerns with the Vulnerable Passenger Transport Service contracts and whether this service would be better value for money if it was delivered inhouse rather than delivery through private companies. It was noted that there were currently in the region of 700-800 school children using this service delivered both by an inhouse fleet which supported the provision of transport for children and taxi providers as a last resort. Officers echoed their  concerns on the price of the contracts and would also like this addressed with the procurement in process for change in approach where the service had moved to a dynamic purchasing system to drive up competition and in turn drives down the price. The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education noted that about 90% of the children using this service were attending one or other of the special needs schools and a regular update on this was provided at the Children, Young People and Education Scrutiny Commission.

 

Members of the Commission shared their concerns with the risk  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

33.

'COST OF CARE PACKAGES' TASK GROUP SCRUTINY REVIEW

An update will be provided on the progress of the Task Group review into the cost of care packages.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Vice Chair of the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission provided a brief update on the Scrutiny review.

 

It was noted that:

·         Most meetings have been taken place

·         Thanked officers for support

·         Triangulate work

·         Hopefully conclude it the new year.

Members of the Commission noted that following this review the information that is derived should be uploaded onto a platform where it can be accessed  by those involved.

 

Members were focussing on the change in cost of care packages in the year and looking at smaller patterns of why these changes happen to the cost of care. Members were considering whether the care that people were receiving had led to deterioration in health and Members were interested in investigating this information further and using different techniques to tackle issues that arise.

 

Interesting to take a sample of cost varied to care packages. There was a suggestion that some providers might seek to come in low then push the price up. The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education noted that the rate in homecare packages were at a fixed rate and social workers decide the level of care for the individual drawing on care services. It was suggested that there could be scope for providers to seek to increase the size of packages (and hence bring more work in) by coaching clients to extend care packages as this was a practice in other sectors which could also benefit this sector.

 

The Deputy City Mayor for Social Care and Anti-Poverty noted that the recommendations of the Review were anticipated.

 

AGREED:

That the Commission be kept updated.

34.

AFGHAN RESETTLEMENT IN LEICESTER

The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education will provide the Commission with an update on Afghan resettlement in Leicester.

 

Members of the Commission are recommended to pass any comments to the Strategic Director for Social Care and Education.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Strategic Director for Social Care and Education noted that Leicester was one of the cities where refugees were being placed whilst permanent homes were being sought after. It was Important to note that the Afghans coming to Leicester had full rights of residence and they can choose to move elsewhere in the UK and some individuals had chosen to move out of Leicester. It was also noted that the new arrivals often had remarkably good level of English as they have worked with British personnel in Afghanistan.

 

One of the hotels in the city was being used to house a number of people funded by the Home Office with support in place. It was noted that to date, there were no calls on Adult Social Care support.

 

The Service were liaising closely with the NHS and GPs but at present no support had been required from Adult Social Care. It was noted as a positive that health services in Leicester are designed and used to working with people from different communities. It was noted that additional needs may arise in the future and service were monitoring closely and should the service be required the service will be made available.

 

Members of the Commission were proud that the city has been able to build a longer table rather than a higher wall.

 

AGREED:

1)    That the Officers be thanked for their update and be requested to keep the Commission informed on any progress; and

2)    That the Strategic Director for Social Care and Education be requested to keep Members informed of any progress, and that broader consideration be given to refugees and asylum seekers in the city, in relation to adult social care impacts.

35.

WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 320 KB

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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members of the Commission were requested to pass any suggested items for consideration on the work programme to the Scrutiny Policy Officer.

36.

ANY OTHER URGENT BUSINESS

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Memebrs of the Commission were reminded that the next meeting was scheduled for 2 December 2021.

 

There being no items of urgent business, the meeting closed at 7:03pm