Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

No disclosures of interest were made.

No declarations were made.

To receive the minutes of the previous meeting(s) and agree as an accurate record.

The Panel agreed the minutes of the meeting on 19 November 2019 as an accurate record of the meeting.

Questions must relate to matters on the agenda and be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

No members of the public were present at the meeting. 

Alex Williams, Head of Adult Services

Peter Field, Principal Officer Prevention, Well-being and Commissioning

Peter Field, Principal Officer Prevention, Well-being and Commissioning briefed the Panel on carers’ assessments including responding to concerns raised by carers at various forums, and answered the Panel’s questions along with Alex Williams, Head of Adult Services.

Discussion Points:

·         Panel queried if there is a limit to number of days respite available for carers.  Informed that in order to ensure equity and fairness to families, as a general rule a nominal maximum allocation of 42 days is applied which is generally sufficient to meet the majority of assessed needs. However, all allocations are based on an assessed need and in a small number of cases, the assessed need will determine that a higher allocation is required and this will be agreed on a case by case basis.

·         Panel queried if there is enough provision for people to attend day services.  Informed there is enough capacity to meet needs as people want less and less the traditional day service.  Department is looking at what it provides as part of review.  In older people’s services, people tend to attend the day service no more than 3 days a week as a requirement of more than this tends to indicate that somebody perhaps requires a higher level of support. However, allocations are looked at on a case by case basis and based on assessed need.

·         Of the 12,400 care assessments undertaken Department is unable to determine how many individuals this would be, as data is limited and not sure if it is accurate on the PARIS system.  Moving over to new WCCIS system so recording should improve.

·         Department does not have a separate line in the budget for respite.  It is based on need and is not limited by budget.  Department would prefer to get to a position where there is a separate budget allocation for respite.

·         Authority has a legal duty to undertake carer’s assessments.  It should not be based on judgement.  Department wants to get to the standard position of asking if a carer is involved, so that it is not based on judgement. 

·         Panel queried how effective Western Bay Valuing Carers Plan is and what outcomes are coming out of it.  Informed group is satisfied progress is being achieved in all areas. 

Actions.

·         Written update on Western Bay Valuing Carers Plan to be provided to Panel for information.

Alex Williams, Head of Adult Services

Jon Franklin, Local Area Coordination Implementation Manager

Jon Franklin, Local Area Coordination Implementation Manager attended to update the Panel on the current position with the LAC team and showed the Panel two videos ‘Pete’s Story’ and ‘Hub on the Hill’ to show the impact that is being made.

Discussion Points:

·         An evaluation was undertaken in 2016 by Swansea University. A further evaluation has been proposed and Southampton University are planning a multi-site evaluation to study the effect of LAC in three different locations including Swansea.  Further news is awaited about funding for the research and the scope but it will focus in part on measuring the impact of preventative interventions.  Panel to be kept informed.

·         Department’s view on how to capture the impact as a result of LAC is by collecting statistics, using distance travelled tools and stories/narrative – which they feel is the important part. Department has some idea of cost avoidance and could try to add this to some of the stories but cannot measure easily or precisely the impact because it is a human one on lots of levels. More interested in how to measure the impact in different ways rather than the costs.

·         Not all areas have Local Area Coordinators. It is going to take a long time to have them in all areas but an incremental approach is useful for learning. 

·         Expanding LACs to adjacent areas seems to have benefits but it currently depends on funding, which is quite restrictive.

·         Still do not know how Local Area Coordination would work in rural areas etc.

·         Do not know if we are seeing benefits from savings in the budget, as it is difficult to make a direct link.

Actions:

·         Panel to be kept updated on progress regarding the proposed evaluation.

Work Programme received and considered by the Panel. 

The Budget proposals for Adult Services will be considered as an item at the February panel meeting. 

a)    Letter to Cabinet Member (19 November 2019 meeting)

Letters received and considered by the Panel.