Agenda and draft minutes

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel - Thursday, 11th July, 2024 6.30 pm

Venue: Council Chamber - Town Hall, Wellington Street, Woolwich SE18 6PW. View directions

Contact: Raymond Bruce-Cathline  Email: scrutiny@royalgreenwich.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies from Members of the Committee.

Minutes:

No apologies for absence were received.

 

 

2.

Urgent Business

The Chair to announce any items of urgent business circulated separately from the main agenda.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

3.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 46 KB

Members to declare any personal and financial interests in items on the agenda. Attention is drawn to the Council’s Constitution; the Council’s Code of Conduct and associated advice.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved-

 

That the list of Councillors’ memberships as Council appointed representatives on outside bodies, joint committees and school governing bodies is noted.

 

4.

Cabinet Member Update pdf icon PDF 35 KB

To receive a verbal update from the Cabinet Member Health, Adult Social Care and Borough of Sanctuary.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary provided an update on their recent activities and key issues impacting health and social care. She began by expressing gratitude to their predecessor, Councillor Denise Scott McDonald, for her significant contributions to the portfolio stating that much of the current work builds on her previous efforts.

 

The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary highlighted the importance of the Health and Well-being Strategy, a statutory five-year document approved and monitored by the Greenwich Health and Well-being Board. She recommended that members, especially those new to the board, review the strategy to understand the council's objectives better. The strategy adopts a life-course approach, focusing on various life stages: start well, be well, feel well, stay well, and age well. This approach emphasizes preventative measures and maintaining good health throughout a person's life.

 

The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary noted the financial strain on councils over the past 14 years and its impact on public health, exacerbating inequalities. She highlighted a concerning decline in life expectancy in England, particularly among women, which has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The Cabinet Member stressed the importance of adequate funding for the NHS.

 

The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary outlined several key priority areas:

  • Health Inequalities: Addressing avoidable and unfair health disparities through public health initiatives and preventative work. She stated that the impact of these initiatives may take time to manifest, but tracking and communicating progress is crucial.

 

  • Neighbourhood Work: Development of health initiatives across four specific neighbourhoods: Bexley, Horn Park, Blackheath, and Plumstead. This community-focused approach aims to address health inequalities locally.

 

  • Borough of Sanctuary Status: The council has achieved Borough of Sanctuary status, reflecting its commitment to supporting asylum seekers and refugees. The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary stated that future work includes launching a new strategy and action plan co-produced with those with lived experience.

 

  • Carer Strategy: The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary explained that this emphasises the importance of unpaid carers, who provide essential support to individuals with various needs. She added that the strategy will be evaluated, and progress will be reported. An increase in carer assessments and recognition through a new category in the May Citizens Award were noted as significant developments.

 

  • Adult Social Care - Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection: The introduction of a new CQC inspection regime for adult social care, the first in over a decade. Key areas of focus include care support, management of waiting lists, and resident outcomes.

 

  • Supported Employment: Addressing the low employment rates among adults with learning disabilities, which have recently decreased to around 3%. The Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, and Borough of Sanctuary stated that expanding employment opportunities in this area is a priority.

 

5.

Health and Adult Services Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024-25 Update pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Note and consider this report which provides an update on the delivery areas of the Health and Adult Services (HAS) contribution to the Medium-Term Financial Strategy.

Minutes:

The Director of Adult Social Care provided an update on the Health and Adult Services Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2024-25. The update began with an overview of the context and key highlights.

The Director of Adult Social Care emphasised the importance of the corporate plan and the Health and Social Care Vision, which covers the period from 2021 to 2024. The Vision, which will be refreshed this year, focuses on people’s strengths and independence, influencing social work and occupational therapy practices. Members were encouraged to review this Vision on the website, where accessible videos are also available.

 

The update highlighted the significant financial challenges faced in the previous year, which included an additional pressure of around £15 million in Adult Services. This pressure stemmed from the transition of children into Adult Services and increased costs of care provision, particularly home care, residential, and supported living services. The Director of Adult Social Care explained that rise in care costs had been exacerbated by inflation and the need for providers to pass on these costs. Government funding has not kept pace with these demands.

The Director of Adult Social Care stated that for the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024-25, the strategy has focused on building upon existing programs, embracing innovation, and involving residents and the community in co-producing solutions. Key areas of focus include:

 

  • Trusted Assessments for Carers: To better reach and support unpaid carers, especially those who may not identify themselves as such. The strategy involves working with the voluntary sector and using a trusted assessment model outside the council’s direct purview.

 

  • Reablement Services: The Director of Adult Social Care stated that efforts are being made to ensure that everyone who could benefit from reablement receives up to six weeks of support. This investment includes more therapeutic involvement and aims to reduce ongoing care needs through effective reablement.

 

  • Health and Social Care Recruitment Strategy: Addressing the reliance on agency staff by focusing on apprenticeships and building a resilient workforce. This includes offering opportunities for experienced social care assessors to become qualified social workers.
  • Commissioning for Improved Outcomes: Negotiations with care providers, particularly for learning disabilities and supported living, have led to significant efficiencies. The strategy includes investing in brokerage services to ensure right-sized and cost-effective care packages.

 

  • Innovative Care Models: Exploring cost-effective models like Shared Lives, which offers non-institutional care arrangements in private homes. This model is seen as beneficial for both cost and outcomes.

 

  • Recovery and Charging Policy: Reviewing and tightening processes to ensure that individuals who can afford to pay for their care are charged accordingly. This includes addressing historical leniencies in care charging due to COVID-19.

 

  • Mental Health and Assisted Technology: Enhancing collaboration with Oxley’s services to improve social care outcomes and investing in assisted technology to increase independence and reduce reliance on physical care services.

 

  • Public Health and Community Services: Utilizing Public Health Grant funds to support preventive activities and relieve pressure on the general fund.

 

6.

Musculoskeletal Update (MSK) pdf icon PDF 36 KB

To receive a presentation on Musculoskeletal (MSK) tendering.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Director of Adult Social Care provided a brief update on the Musculoskeletal (MSK) Services. It was noted that the previously circulated set of slides was withdrawn to allow for necessary updates. The Director assured the panel that the revised slides would be shared in the next few days. He explained that the update focused on the ongoing process of recommissioning MSK services. The new service is scheduled to be in place by April 2025.

 

To circulate updated slides to the Panel.

                                                Action: Director of Adult Social Care

 

Resolved –

 

That the Musculoskeletal update be noted.

7.

Work Programme Schedule 2024/25 pdf icon PDF 32 KB

To note the 2024/25 work programme items and agree the scope.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Panel discussed the work programme schedule and suggested the following:

 

Items suggested to be added

·        Livewell

·        Mental Health

·        NHS Financial Decisions

·        Maternal Mortality (focus on Black and Asian Communities)

 

Items suggested to be removed

·        Vaccination Rates

·        Health Ambassadors

 

The Chair reminded the Panel that the Chief Executive has been given delegated authority to vary the work programme of scrutiny panels in consultation with the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

Resolved –

 

That the work programme schedule 2024/25 be noted.

8.

Commissioning of Future Reports pdf icon PDF 38 KB

To note the work items that are scheduled to be presented to the meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel taking place on 19th September 2024.

Minutes:

The Panel note the work items that are scheduled to be presented to the meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Panel taking place on 19th September 2024.