Agenda item

The Panel considered the joint report of the Service Director for Adults, Housing and Communities and the Director of Quality and Integration providing an update for the Panel on the transformation journey being undertaken by Adult Social Care in Southampton

Councillor Fielker (Cabinet Member for Adult Care), Paul Juan (SCC Service Director for Adults, Housing and Communities), Stephanie Ramsey (SCC Director of Quality and Assurance) and Sharon Stewart (SCC Service Lead, Adult Social Care) were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed a number of points including:

·  The Council’s response to the recommendations from the Peer Challenge, including the creation of the Making Social Care Work Board.

·  The focus on four key aspect of the service: Prevention and early intervention; maximising recovery and promoting independence; improving quality of life for people with care and support needs; and providing choice and control for people who have care needs;

·  The priorities for a future effective service;

·  The ten identified projects that are being developed for delivery over the next three years that will enhance and improve service outcomes;

·  The recruitment process for the independent chair of the Local Safeguarding Adults Board;

·  Concern raised about the Director of Public Health reporting to the Executive Director - Wellbeing (DASS) in the new Council structure, and the need for Public Health to have a much broader remit than Adult Social Services;

·  The need to include within the performance metrics measures that reflect enablers of change;

·  Opportunities to reduce costs and duplication by working with other local organisations on developing new technological solutions.

RESOLVED that:

(i)  That the Panel noted the current performance in Adult Social Care and the progress being made towards improving services in line with the findings of the Local Government Association peer challenge;

(ii)  That the Panel noted the Council’s response to the Local Authority Data Profile: Older People’s Pathway, published by the Care Quality Commission.

(iii)  That the Panel noted the arrangements in place for the interim Chair of the Local Safeguarding Adults Board and steps being taken to recruit a permanent Chair;

(iv)  In response to concerns raised about the Director of Public Health reporting to the Executive Director - Wellbeing (DASS) in the new Council structure, and the need for Public Health to have a much broader remit than Adult Social Services, the Panel are provided with assurance from the Chief Executive that the Director of Public Health would continue to have senior level influence across the full range of their accountabilities within the new structure;

(v)  The Panel are provided with the current ratio of adult social care workers per 1,000 of the Southampton population that are aged over 65;

(vi)  The enablers of change, particularly staff engagement and satisfaction, are measured and incorporated into the Adult Care performance dataset;

(vii)  In recognition that most local authorities responsible for adult care services are seeking to develop technological solutions to transform how services are delivered, it is recommended that the Council explores opportunities to share the cost of research and development with other local authorities and representative organisations to improve economies of scale and reduce duplication.

NOTE: Councillor Noon explained that he worked within the Adult Social Care industry but, that there was no conflict of interest in reviewing this matter.  Councillors White and Margetts declared that they were members of the Making Social Care Work Board.