Decision No: CAB065 - 09/2008

Forward Plan No: AS03104

This record relates to A12 on the agenda for the Decision-Making

RECORD OF EXECUTIVE DECISION

29/09/2008  

DECISION-MAKER:

THE CABINET  

PORTFOLIO AREA:

Adult Social Care and Health  

SUBJECT:

Non-residential Care Services: approval of a modified charging scheme  

AUTHOR:

Jane Brentor  

THE DECISION

To approve the proposals / recommendations contained in the report without modification as set out below.
(i) To approve a modification of the charging policy by reducing the number of financial calculations within the charging policy down from the current three to two key calculations.

(ii) To approve a modification of the way the Council calculates charges for non-residential care from an hourly to a weekly basis. Adjustments to weekly charges will only be made for hospital admission or where the change in care provision extends beyond the weekly period in which they occur.

(iii) To agree the proposals for further consultation as described in the report, ensuring an opportunity for further public scrutiny of those proposed changes, and potential impacts, which are more than simplifications of the policy.
 

REASONS FOR THE DECISION

1. The Cabinet at its meeting on 28 July 2008 agreed that there is an urgent need to change and simplify the non-residential charging policy. The current complexity of the policy has contributed to the high number of billing errors that have occurred. The trust of the public in the competent development and administration of the non-residential charging policy needs to be regained and the modification of the policy will contribute to this. Recommendations (i) and (ii) need to be agreed as a priority so that the work to develop the operating requirements of IT systems (including the design and development of any IT interfaces) can begin.

2. In the 28 July 2008 Cabinet report, it was agreed that additional consultation was needed to test recommendations and options for changing the current policy. It was this consultation process that identified that where the emerging options are more than just about the simplification of the policy there is a requirement for further public consultation.
The Government’s Guidance “Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and Other Non-Residential Services (2003)” places user consultation central to the charging policy development process. A copy of this document has been provided in the Members’ Rooms.
 

DETAILS OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

1. Retaining the current systems interface, even with a new version of the social care recording system, would not facilitate continuing with the current charging policy and it is too fragile to enable safe and reliable customer billing. It also continues to be incompatible with the operating requirements of In Control (Individualised Budgets).

2. During consultation it was proposed that further consultation was needed to discuss the impact of making adjustments to care contributions only after a change has been experienced for seven days. This has been considered by the Project Board and rejected because there is an operational imperative to simplify the administration of the charging policy and the overall costs of this administration is not proportionate to the adjustments to care charges (see paragraph 12).
 

OTHER RELEVANT MATTERS CONCERNING THE DECISION

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The decision-maker(s) did not declare a personal or prejudicial interest in the matters set out in the report  

CONFIRMED AS A TRUE RECORD:

We certify that the decision this document records was made in accordance with the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000 and is a true and accurate record of that decision.

Date:

Decision Maker:

29/09/2008

The Cabinet

Proper Officer:

Judy Cordell

SCRUTINY

Note: This decision will come in to force at the expiry of 5 working days from the date of publication subject to any review under the Council's Scrutiny 'Call-In' provisions.

Call-In Period

30 September 2008 to 07 October 2008

Date of Call-in (if applicable) (this suspends implementation)

Call-in Procedure completed (if applicable)

Call-in heard by (if applicable)

Results of Call-in (if applicable)