Archived decisions

    AT A MEETING of the SOCIAL CARE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE of the COUNTY COUNCIL held at The Castle, Winchester on Friday, 26 July 2002

PRESENT

Councillors: M.L. Sheehan (Chairman); Mrs. P. Dickens; A.G. Dowden;

Mrs. J.K. Frankum; E.F. Gale, MBE; S.A. Hayes; Mrs. K. Heron; Mrs. C.A. Leversha;

A.R. Ludlow; Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott; Mrs. P.G. Peskett; Mrs. E.F.M. Randall; Mrs. V. Steel; Mrs. P.A. West; Miss J.D. Wride.

                  Also in attendance Councillor Felicity Hindson, MBE - Executive Member for Social Care.

27 MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 31 May 2002 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

28 SOCIAL SERVICES INSPECTORATE OF SOCIAL CARE SERVICES FOR OLDER PEOPLE

The Chairman welcomed Bob Chidgey and Linda Hoare of the Social Services Inspectorate who explained the work of the Inspectorate and the inspection method used for the inspection of Hampshire's Social Care Services for Older People. Because of the size of the County the Inspectorate had focused their inspection on two areas on the south of the County and had focused on partnerships, management, capacity, performance and practice. They outlined the recommendations made on each of the areas. The Director of Social Services presented a report on the Inspection (Item 2 in the Minute Book) and clarified the activities to address the recommendations made by the Social Services Inspectorate. He said that many of the recommendations made were already being addressed through existing processes and new areas of work and were being implemented where appropriate. He stressed that quick results on all aspects would be difficult and that time would be needed to implement all of the required actions.

Councillors Mrs. P. Dickens and A.R. Ludlow declared non-pecuniary interests in this item.

RESOLVED:

That the Social Services Inspectorate report be noted and that the action plan to address the recommendations made in the report be approved.

29 STAR RATING SYSTEM AND ANNUAL REVIEW LETTER

The Director of Social Services presented a report explaining how the star rating systems worked and giving details of the Annual Review Letter from the Social Services Inspectorate (Item 3 in the Minute Book). Members requested that the Executive Member for social care does everything possible to improve the situation for older people.

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and that the Executive Member for Social Care does everything possible to improve the situation for older people.

30 STANDING ORDERS

The Chairman reported that Mr. Philip Mason of Hampshire Centre for Independent Living (HCIL) had been invited to make representations to the Committee about the Review of Charging Policy for Non-Residential Services and requested that Standing Orders be waived to allow Mr. Mason to speak.

RESOLVED:

That Standing Orders be waived to allow Mr. Mason to speak.

31 REVIEW OF CHARGING POLICY FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

The Director of Social Services presented a report setting out a number of charging options within the limitations imposed by the Government's mandatory guidance on charges for non-residential services (Item 5 in the Minute Book).

Mr. Mason of HCIL made representatives to the Committee about the proposed charges. He said that the scheme currently operated by the County Council with regard to Direct Payments was a sensible scheme and that the County Council benefited from the scheme. He had been given legal advice that there was no reason for changing the current policy and that there were sound reasons for continuing with it.

The Director of Social Services and Chief Executive advised that the guidance issued by the Department of Health was mandatory and that no distinction could be made between direct payment users and other users. Members questioned as to how guidance could be mandatory and requested that the legal interpretation obtained by Mr. Mason and the Chief Executive's legal interpretation be referred to the Department of Health with a request for its view.

RESOLVED:

That:-

      (a) The Cabinet be advised to agree to:-

        (i) Adopt a single hourly rate for domiciliary and sitting services, with the weekly charge having regard to the financial circumstances service users;

        (ii) Introduce an across-the-board approach to the proportion of disposable income claimed for charges;

        (iii) Cease charging for day care/services for all adult client groups;

        (iv) Commission a review of the costs of administering the charging policy for non-residential services once the various charges forced by the Government's new mandatory guidance had been implemented.

        (v) Increase the hourly rate for direct payments users so that the County Council bears the full costs in cases where recipients are assessed to have no disposable income.

        (vi) Consider the implementation timescale of the new policy on charges for non-residential services.

      (b) The legal opinion obtained by Mr. Mason and the County Council's legal advice be referred to the Department of Health with a request for interpretation and a response before September 2002 to enable it to be considered by the Cabinet.

32 CARERS SERVICE AND RESPITE CARE

The Director of Social Services reported orally that a seminar to look at suggested ways of carer support, was now in the process of being arranged with a provisional date of 8 October 2002. He requested that all members of the Committee be invited to the Seminar.

RESOLVED:

That all Members of the Social Care Policy Review Committee be invited to attend the seminar to look at suggested ways of carer support.

33 COMMITTEE'S TIMETABLE OF FUTURE DECISIONS

The Director of Social Services presented a report giving an update on the Committee's proposed timetable (Item 7 in the Minute Book). The Chairman announced that arrangements had been made for an additional meeting of the Committee to be held at 2.00 p.m. on Friday, 6 September 2002 to formally approve the Committee's report to Council followed by an informal presentation by the Director of Social Services on childrens' homes.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted and that an additional meeting of the Committee be held at 2.00 p.m. on Friday, 6 September 2002.

34 BEST VALUE REVIEW OUTCOME REPORTS

The Chief Executive and Director of Social Services presented reports on the Best Value Outcomes of Residential Care for Older People; Mental Health Residential, Nursing and Accommodation Services and Residential Services for People with Learning Disabilities and Disabled People (Items 4(a), (b) and (c) in the Minute Book).

RESOLVED:

That-

      (a) The outcome report of the Best Value reviews of:

        (i) Residential care for older people be agreed, highlighting the following proposals for improvement:

          · Address gaps in the market regarding types of provision

          · Respond rapidly to changing agenda

          · Improve market capacity to enable timely appropriate placements

          · Meet user aspirations and values

          · Secure value for money on behalf of residents of Hampshire

          · Achieve market sustainability for the future within available resources

        (ii) Mental health residential care, nursing and accommodation services for adults be agreed, highlighting the following proposals for improvement:

          · Development of a range of residential care and housing with support in each locality informed by the needs analysis in the ROCC (Voluntary Sector Umbrella Housing Organisation) report.

          · Development of integrated planning processes incorporating the National Service Framework and Supporting People agendas

          · Development of robust financial management information

          · Improved housing practice in mental health services through joint training

          · Services are responsive to specialist needs

          · There is effective user and carer involvement

          · Revenue and capital resources are maximised across agencies to meet need and promote independence

          · Services have clear, jointly owned and published care standards.

        (iii) Residential services for people with learning disabilities and disabled people be agreed, highlighting the following proposals for improvement:

          · A strengthening of the Adult Placement Scheme with a mix of registered care and Supported Living

          · Flexible use of vacancies in in-house services

          · Options appraisals carried out for all in-house services in response to the standards set by the National Care Standards Commission

          · Joint working with NHS colleagues and providers to identify gaps in services and progress new service development within Hampshire

          · Co-ordinated purchasing across the County, to ensure most effective use of resources

          · Collaborative approach to providing appropriate services for people with health and social care needs, within the framework of the Continuing Care Eligibility Criteria

          · Increase number of Supported Living arrangements

          · Use of benchmarking tool for comparison of residential services.

      (b) A summery of the reviews be prepared in the standard format for inclusion in the Best Value Performance Plan.

      (c) A copy of the above summaries and the Improvement Plans be provided to the Executive Member to effect implementation of the review outcomes.

      (d) Arrangements be made for the Policy Review Committee to receive annual progress reports until the Improvement Plan is completed.

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