Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

Disclosures of interest – Mandy Evans and Chris Holley.

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 17 March 2020 as an accurate record.

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 submitted by members of the public.

Invited to attend:

Councillor Clive Lloyd, Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Community Health Services

Dave Howes, Director of Social Services

Amy Hawkins, Interim Head of Adult Services

Helen St John, Interim Head of Integrated Community Services

Councillor Clive Lloyd, Cabinet Member for Adult Care and Community Health Services introduced this item.  He thanked Alex Williams, previous Head of Adult Services for her contribution and stated there had been an internal restructure with two new interim Heads of Service appointed.  Dave Howes, Director of Social Services then presented an update on effects of covid-19 pandemic on the service area. He stated that staff within the Council and wider social care and health partners and Local Area Coordinators had been extraordinary in very difficult circumstances. Expecting £3 million overspend when everything is calculated. Department is in 4 week implementation stage of staffing restructure.

Discussion Points:

·         Panel queried if there was a link between introduction of virtual assessments and processes and re-prioritising offers of care with revised eligibility.  Informed they are not necessarily linked.  Virtual home working was about not exposing staff to catching Covid-19 themselves or passing it on to others.

·         Recovery plan was discussed.  Panel wanted to know if there are any timescales yet and who will be involved.  Part of the plan involves restructure of Adult Services and business critical services, with current focus more on day support.  Need to be ready to adapt to a surge at any stage.

·         Discussion around restructure of domiciliary care and at what stage it becomes a problem.  Officers felt it had not had a huge impact, as very few packages stopped all together, most were reduced or amended.  It has therefore been an iterative process.   

·         Panel asked if there was any idea of the impact on residential services.  Officers stated that it is going to look very different whilst in this stage.

·         Panel felt there is a need for clarity about how day services can open again, as many people are feeling isolated and there is growing concern that the social element needs to be brought back. Informed the Department is looking at alternatives to traditional day services.

·         Panel raised the issue of re-prioritising packages of care and eligibility, and asked about the main changes to assessments.  Officers confirmed main changes to assessments reflect concerns about the pandemic.  Need to have support for people that takes into account the infection will be with us for some time and the approach needs to reflect this. Department does not have all the answers but they will emerge through the recovery plan.

·         Cabinet Member commented that the Department will want to look at what worked well in ours, and partners’ response; going forward may look different; and out of adversity there is a chance to reshape things for the better.  

·         Panel asked about infection rates and how detailed the data is we receive on it, and if there is a team specifically for dealing with it. Informed we are linked in with all testing arrangements but Adult Services Department in Council is not overseeing or running this per se.  Department is getting timely feedback especially around care homes.  Officers feel contact tracing is working well for Swansea and the region. 

·         Department is working with Health Board to produce a range of performance indicators and this will be built into performance monitoring arrangements.

·         Panel believes there is an appetite to realign Health and Social Care, especially in Wales, and that Swansea is in a good position to shape that debate.  Officers think the region has been very pro-active and is very well placed to build on what has been learnt.  Cabinet Member feels the integrated role in Adult Services in Swansea and the restructure is very exciting and hopes we can build on everything learnt with a wider discussion on Health and Social Care going forward. 

·         Panel asked about potential loss of capacity in the private sector and possible risks given the financial strains.  Department expects £3 million investment on top of what is expected to be paid out to private sector. There has been a lot of impact on care homes. 

·         Discussed how as a society we have not significantly recognized the social care service and that there is a need as a society to do better.

·         The Chair, on behalf of the Panel, conveyed his thanks to all social care staff, health and private domiciliary care staff.

·         Cabinet Member stated he was blown away by how staff have responded and gave personal thanks to the Director and Heads of Service and the hundreds of care staff and family carers paid and unpaid. 

a)    Letter to Cabinet Member (17 March 2020 meeting)

b)    Response from Cabinet Member (17 March 2020 meeting)

Letters received and considered by the Panel.