The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any questions, representations and statements of case submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.
Mr David Bradley to submit the following representation:-
“Concerns were raised by myself 12 months ago about the care and treatment of autistic adults in Leicester both in terms of the lack of adequate and appropriate facilities within the NHS and a poorly managed process to return such patients back into the community.
At the time, the previous chair requested a report on the outcome of further discussions on the matter and questioned whether the policy could be changed to improve the care of people diagnosed with Asperger’s or autism.
I am aware that a case study has been carried out by Mark Griffiths into particular failings in the CPA process, but I am not aware of any report or policy changes with regard to the care of adults with autism whilst held in hospital where there is a distinct lack of understanding or training in dealing with the complex issues of such cases. I note that the CQC also found deficiencies in providing necessary psychological therapies for such patients.
Similarly I would still like to question the effectiveness of the Care and Treatment Review process in achieving its aims of returning adults with learning disabilities or autism back into the community, where it is painfully obvious that there are not enough specialist residential establishments in Leicester to receive them. The result being that patients are kept in hospital far longer than is beneficial for their health and wellbeing, or they are transferred out of the region again adding additional cost to their care and treatment.
When will this commission hold LPT to account for not providing appropriate care for autistic adults whilst in recovery and hold Social Services to account for not engaging with health services to prepare and provide appropriate care packages in the community?
I refer the Commission to the Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities and NHS organisations to support implementation of the Adult Autism Strategy (March 2015) – page 31 – Local Authorities, NHS bodies with commissioning responsibility should JOINTLY – Develop and update local JOINT commissioning plans for services for adults with autism, based on effective JOINT strategic needs assessment, and review them annually, for example with the local Health and Wellbeing Board.”
Minutes:
The Monitoring Officer reported that no questions or statements of case had been submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.
Mr David Bradley submitted the following representation:-
“Concerns were raised by myself 12 months ago about the care and treatment of autistic adults in Leicester both in terms of the lack of adequate and appropriate facilities within the NHS and a poorly managed process to return such patients back into the community.
At the time, the previous chair requested a report on the outcome of further discussions on the matter and questioned whether the policy could be changed to improve the care of people diagnosed with Asperger’s or autism.
I am aware that a case study has been carried out by Mark Griffiths into particular failings in the CPA process, but I am not aware of any report or policy changes with regard to the care of adults with autism whilst held in hospital where there is a distinct lack of understanding or training in dealing with the complex issues of such cases. I note that the CQC also found deficiencies in providing necessary psychological therapies for such patients.
Similarly I would still like to question the effectiveness of the Care and Treatment Review process in achieving its aims of returning adults with learning disabilities or autism back into the community, where it is painfully obvious that there are not enough specialist residential establishments in Leicester to receive them. The result being that patients are kept in hospital far longer than is beneficial for their health and wellbeing, or they are transferred out of the region again adding additional cost to their care and treatment.
When will this commission hold LPT to account for not providing appropriate care for autistic adults whilst in recovery and hold Social Services to account for not engaging with health services to prepare and provide appropriate care packages in the community?
I refer the Commission to the Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities and NHS organisations to support implementation of the Adult Autism Strategy (March 2015) – page 31 – Local Authorities, NHS bodies with commissioning responsibility should JOINTLY – Develop and update local JOINT commissioning plans for services for adults with autism, based on effective JOINT strategic needs assessment, and review them annually, for example with the local Health and Wellbeing Board.”
The Chair stated that the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission had considered several reports on Autism at its meeting in December 2016 and would receive a further update in August 2017. A number of issued raised by Mr Bradley were related to NHS issues and NHS colleagues would be asked to respond to them in writing directly to Mr Bradley with a copy to the Commission members.
The Strategic Director of Adult Social Care commented that whilst social services staff engaged in the discharge process, NHS Staff were responsible for taking the lead co-ordinating role for the patient’s care whilst they remained in a hospital setting and it was identified that they continued to require clinical treatment or care. Social services could offer advice and guidance but NHS staff determined when a patient should be discharged and whether any social services were required to support the patient after discharge. It was also noted that the Council had planned to use capital monies and right to buy receipts of in the region of £7m last year to build 168 accommodation units to develop supported housing and extra care, which could support patients discharged from hospital. These plans had been put on hold following the Government’s announcement that they had suspended the existing policy arrangements regarding the Local Housing Allowance and would be issuing a revised policy. The new policy had yet to be issued. The current indication was that it may be autumn 2018 before a revised policy was issued. This was frustrating to the Council in providing assistance to help people move from acute settings to a supported living setting.
Members commented that the Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission aimed to make the City ‘autistic friendly’ and would be disseminating information to staff to increase their knowledge of the issues involved. It was hoped that both Commissions could work together on this topic in the future.
Mr Bradley commented that autism issues fell across many spectrums of service delivery and often fell between gaps in service as a result.
The Chair thanked Mr Bradley for raising the issue again. In addition to asking health colleagues to provide the information requested, the Chair felt that the Commission should write to the 3 City’s MPs to raise the housing policy issue in parliament.
AGREED:-
1) That the representatives of the CCG be thanked for their presentation and responses to Members’ questions.
2) That the Commission write to the City’s MP requesting them to urge the Government to issue the revised policy on the local housing allowance as soon possible.