Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

Chris Holley declared a personal interest.

No declarations were made.

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

Panel agreed the Minutes of the meeting on 7 August 2023 as an accurate record of the meeting.

Questions must be submitted in writing, no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting. Questions must relate to items on the agenda. Questions will be dealt with in a 10-minute period.

No questions were received.

Amy Hawkins, Head of Adult Services and Tackling Poverty

Helen St John, Head of Integrated Community Services

Louise Gibbard, Cabinet Member for Care Services and Amy Hawkins, Head of Adult Services and Tackling Poverty added to brief the Panel on the Performance Monitoring Report for July 2023.

Discussion Points:

·       Bonymaen House received an excellent inspection in July 2023.  Panel pleased to hear this.

·       All teams based at the Civic Centre have now moved over to the Guildhall helping to improve collaborative working.

·       Panel queried if the new location for the Common Access Point was fit for purpose as problems with acoustics.  Heard staff are being issued with better sound proofing headsets to help with this and officers will look into using sound boarding structures.

·       Panel asked about staffing and recruitment issues and heard it is a challenge as there is a deficit of social workers across Wales. 

·       Panel discussed mental health and wellbeing of staff and heard each team in the Directorate is having a wellbeing assessment and individual action plans drawn up.

·       External domiciliary care provision - Panel noted that in the next 12 months the Authority will be recommissioning services. Discussed continued low occupancy at some homes creating financial instability for some providers and that this needs to be looked at. 

·       Regarding external care homes where there are escalated concerns, Panel queried if it was an option for some residents to be transferred to other homes.  Informed it is better for people’s health and wellbeing not to be moved as it is their home.

·       Panel discussed how more third-party charges for external care provision are being picked up by the Authority.  Cabinet Member stated the Authority does not currently have a policy around this but is looking to develop one. 

·       In terms of safeguarding, Panel noted the increasing number of referrals and asked for examples of what some of the issues have been.  Heard a breakdown of the type of referral can be included in future performance monitoring reports. 

·       Panel asked for information on Deprivation of Liberty including how many people have gone through the process in the last 12 months and the type of claimant.  Agreed this will be included in the report to the Panel in October on Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

·       Panel asked about legal support and how the Department is outsourcing part of it.  Heard there had been increased demand and increased cost.  Panel and officers agreed the need to keep an eye on this.

Actions:

·       Information on types of safeguarding referrals to be included in future performance monitoring reports.

·       Information requested on Deprivation of Liberty to be included in October report to Panel.

Lee Cambule, Tackling Poverty Service Manager

Peter Field, Principal Officer Prevention, Wellbeing and Commissioning 

Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Head of Adult Services and Tackling Poverty and Tackling Poverty Services Manager attended to brief the Panel.

Discussion Points:

·       Panel queried definition being used for ‘Poverty’.  Informed definition will be reviewed as part of Tackling Poverty Strategy refresh.

·       Panel requested a list of social enterprises. Informed a mapping exercise will be carried out to improve data the Authority holds about social enterprises.  Panel to receive update on progress when an action plan is in place and mapping exercise completed.

·       Panel sought clarification on a line in the report about one authority working with 60% of social enterprises.  Officers clarified 60% of social enterprises do not work outside of their local area, a smaller percentage work regionally and some work nationally.

·       Panel queried how performance is measured for social enterprises the Authority works with, and gives grants to, and if they are audited.  Heard the Authority has ways of measuring outcomes and performance for individual grants, but this would not focus on performance as a social enterprise. Department is going to develop a performance framework for social enterprises going forward.

·       Panel discussed how the report mentions ‘strategic intent and direction’ and how several years ago the NHS in Wales produced a document around this.  Panel queried if this is the type of framework the Authority is looking to apply with partners and heard the aim is for all partners to be working towards the same priorities and actions.

Actions:

·       Add ‘Update on Progress with WAO Report: A Missed Opportunity’ to the future work plan (January 2024).

Panel considered the work plan and noted items for the next meeting.