Item 6

AT A MEETING of the SOUTHEAST HAMPSHIRE SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY SCRUTINY PANEL of the HAMPSHIRE, SOUTHAMPTON, PORTSMOUTH AND ISLE OF WIGHT HEALTH SCRUTINY JOINT COMMITTEE held at The Castle, Winchester on Monday, 25 June 2007.

PRESENT

Members Officers

Hampshire Councillors: Dr. R.J. Ellis (Chairman) Denise Holden K.G. Chapman David Pryke

R. Love

Mrs. A.M. McNair Scott

D.F. Wright

Portsmouth Councillor L. Mason Sam Mayer

Isle of Wight Councillor Mrs. E. Oulton (Vice-Chairman) Louise Biggs

SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY IN SOUTHEAST HAMPSHIRE

The Panel had been established to review services for people with a learning disability

in 12 homes in southeast Hampshire and the re-provision of services at Tamerine, Horndean.

Representatives from Hampshire Adult Services, Hampshire Primary Care Trust, Hampshire

Partnership NHS Trust and Hampshire Patient and Public Involvement Forum attended the

meeting and updated the Panel on the current position with the homes.

Hampshire Adult Services

Hampshire Adult Services had been working closely with Hampshire Partnership

Trust and Hampshire Primary Care Trust and had completed the care management assessments of the 76 people involved in the 12 homes in southeast Hampshire. Ensuring that the needs of clients were adequately met was a priority.

A report would be presented to the Project Board outlining the outcomes of these assessments and suggesting a way forward. The work so far had involved considerable professional input from the Care Managers, the locality Team Manager, Person-centred Planning Co-ordinator and Adult Protection Officer.

The services were also being assessed against the REACH standards for supported living. This would provide valuable information for future plans for service provision.

The commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) had been briefed about the situation and is aware that a pro-active response is taking place

The Healthcare Commission was conducting an audit of all learning disability services provided by health. All Healthcare Commission questionnaires for these services had been returned and the response was awaited.

On the question of Tamerine, Adult Services had been fully involved in the process and had been an active member of the project steering group. A full assessment of the needs of the services users who were the responsibility of Hampshire County Council had been made in conjunction with their families.

Hampshire Primary Care Trust

Hampshire and Portsmouth City Primary Care Trusts commissioned services from Tamerine and two meetings had been held with carers to look at possible options for people using Tamerine. The options were:

· To register Tamerine with CSCI and look at the costs and viability of retaining the facility.

· To look at other facilities for clients.

At present Tamerine only provided services for the 18 people who used to access health care and health funds would follow each client. On the long term people with similar conditions would access services via Adult Services.

Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust

Prior to the transfer in November 2005, Portsmouth City PCT notified the Partnership Trust that they wished to give notice of their intention to stop commissioning respite care services from Tamerine House. They and indeed Hampshire PCT confirmed that intention in April 2006. Portsmouth City PCT gave notice because they wished to commission such services from within Portsmouth and Hampshire PCT gave notice because the withdrawal of Portsmouth would mean that the service was no longer economically viable. The commissioning officers of both PCTs formed a project group to handle the new commissioning arrangements for respite care services that both PCTs wished to establish. That work has taken longer than originally anticipated and Hampshire Partnership Trust has responded positively to the request made by both PCTs to continue to provide respite care services at Tamerine House. The Trust was still providing respite care services at Tamerine House. The Trust was also obtaining information about the viability of carrying out alterations at Tamerine House that would enable the property to be registered with The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) for it to become a registered respite service. The outcome of this feasibility study should be known by the end of July 2007.

With regard to the 12 homes accommodating 76 people that transferred to Hampshire Partnership Trust, it was quickly realised that there appeared to be no reason why most if not all of these homes should be classified as NHS in-patient accommodation/services. Instead the Trust believed it was appropriate for most if not all of the clients to be living in homes that were registered with CSCI or receiving supported independent living services provided by a registered provider, either way to receive a social care model of service within the social care governance and funding arrangements. The Trust took the initiative and instigated the establishment of a project group and invited Hampshire County Council to chair the project group. This invitation was accepted and Lucy Butler was designated by Hampshire County Council to chair the group. Hampshire PCT are also members of the project group. The group had made a bid for funding to the Hampshire Partnership Board to fund the appointment of a full time project worker. This bid was successful and arrangements are being make to appoint a project worker shortly. Lucy Butler will shortly be changing roles within Hampshire County Council and it will be important for a new chairman to be quickly identified to chair the group so that momentum will not be lost. The key priority in taking this work forward was:

· to carry out an assessment of the needs of the individual to confirm that they do not need NHS in-patient treatment

· to identify and model the funding implications of a change to social care arrangements between the PCT, Hampshire County Council and Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust

· to review the property/housing implications of the transfer from NHS in-patient model of service to a social care model of service

· to support the staff through the transition

· to develop excellent communication arrangements with clients and members of their family

The working group did not yet have a detailed action plan and it was a very urgent priority that a comprehensive plan is developed, this would be a very early task for the project worker appointed.

RECOMMENDATION

That a strategic needs and assessment analysis and business case for the future of the homes be presented to the Joint Committee at its meeting in December 2007.