Agenda item

The Chair will provide a brief update on the Executive response to the Scrutiny Commission’s review on Domiciliary Care.

The Chair provided an update on the Executive response to the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission’s review on Domiciliary Care and a briefing note is attached at the back of these minutes.

Members of the commission made the following queries and comments:

·         Councillor Willmott sought confirmation in relation to 15 minute visits to service users, and as to whether call the 15 minute cases had been reviewed. The Director for Care Services and Commissioning responded that there were still a number of cases where clients received a 15 minute visit but this number was decreasing and being phased out. The Director offered to provide further details on this.

·         Concern was raised in relation to zero hour contracts and members queried whether there was anything else the council could do to ensure this practice ceased. The Director for Care Services and Commissioning responded that the council recognised that this was an issue and this would be considered as part of the re-procurement process in 2016.

·         Concerns were raised that not all staff employed as domiciliary care workers were in receipt of a living wage, and a view was expressed that if the council claimed to be a living wage employer, they should also ensure that their contractors did the same. It was recognised that this would be currently unaffordable, but assurances were sought and in addition, the necessary budget planning was needed. The Deputy City Mayor responded that it would cost approximately £10m if the living wage was to be paid for externally contracted Adult Social Care services. This was a national issue and what was really needed to address the problem was for the government to provide for a properly funded health and social care system. Councillor Kitterick requested a financial breakdown of how the £10m figure had been arrived at and a list of options to help consider how much the council could afford to pay, if the £10m was not affordable.

It was agreed that the commission and Assistant City Mayor Patel would jointly write to the secretary of state to express concerns at the level of national funding for Adult Social Care. It was also agreed that the commission would send a draft to Assistant City Mayor Patel for her consideration before the letter was sent.

·         The Chair explained that she had attended a national conference relating to Children and Adult Social Care, where the question of paying a living wage had arisen. At the conference, reference had been made to Wiltshire Council who ensured that carers were paid travelling time as well as a living wage. The Wiltshire model had been held up as being good practice.

Councillor Patel, Assistant City Mayor for Adult Social Care responded that she, the Director for Adult Social Care and the Assistant City Mayor for Children, Young People and Schools had attended the conference and had already established contacts there. As part of the model, travel times had been reduced and procurement had been organised in geographical areas within the city. Assistant City Mayor Patel added that they would be looking at the Wiltshire model and as more details came through, these would be shared with the commission.

·         Views were expressed that home care workers needed to be paid for the time they spent travelling between service users. The Director for Care Services and Commissioning responded that the providers gave an assurance in relation to paying employees travel costs, but this issue would be considered as part of the next procurement exercise.

Members of the commission expressed concerns generally that the work of domiciliary care staff was significant and important and a strong desire was expressed that these issues could be addressed.

The Chair concluded the discussion and sought assurance from Assistant City Mayor Patel that the commission would be given an opportunity to help shape the pre-procurement process.

RESOLVED:

1)    that commission members receive a breakdown of the £10m cost, if the council was to insist that the externally contracted Adult Social Care providers were required to pay their staff the living wage;

2)    that in relation to 15 minute visits, the commission receive an update on the number of cases still outstanding;

3)    that it be requested that the commission be given an opportunity to help shape the new pre-procurement process; and

4)    that a letter be written by the commission to the Secretary of State to express concerns at the level of funding for Adult Social Care.