Agenda item

Key areas for Committee discussion include: -

·         Suggested key performance indicators for the Adults and Health directorate as part of the wider West Sussex Reset Plan

·         Areas to be explored relating to Adults and Health portfolio budget savings, including next steps and Committee involvement

·         Reflections from the Covid-19 pandemic to include work with the care and domiciliary care market in West Sussex

·         Planned areas for adult social care improvement and integrated working with the NHS

24.1        The Committee considered a report by the Executive Director of Adults and Health (copy appended to the signed minutes).

24.2     Summary of responses to committee members’ questions and comments: -

·         The Council is investing in reablement/reskilling models of care as suggested by the Local Government Association Peer Review and is working with individuals and communities to see how people’s quality of life can be improved in their own homes

·         There were no proposals to change the eligibility criteria as set out in the Care Act

·         With the likelihood of ongoing financial constraints on the Council, the new models of working will make savings by delivering care in different ways

·         Partnership working had increased during the pandemic and would continue to be important going forward

·         The Council invests significantly in the voluntary sector to the best advantage of all

·         Difficult decisions on prioritising services are being made, but this is informed by learning from localising services

·         All customers have an annual care review and would also have an assessment if their care package was to change

·         Reducing the use of single person services for customers where shared services may be suitable and is a procurement efficiency

·         Significant changes to services would be subject to consultation and equality impact assessments – a Task & Finish Group (TFG) from this committee could then scrutinise revised proposals before they went to Cabinet for final approval

·         A review had shown that Shaw and in-house day services, were underused before the pandemic and could be provided in a different way that would also deliver financial savings

·         The Public Health Grant is ring-fenced, and the Council has to show how the money is used – if Public Health spend exceeds the grant, money would have to be found from other Council sources

·         When planning services, the Council took into account the future demographics of the county based on housing plans developed by district and borough councils for the next two to five years

·         There was a query about weight management in wellbeing programmes – ACTION: Keith Hinkley to provide the Committee with benchmarking information on weight management programmes

·         Support for homeless people during the pandemic was a partnership with the County Council providing community support and the district and borough councils providing accommodation support

·         All proposed key performance indicators (KPIs) could be benchmarked as there was national data on spend, but value for money couldn’t be benchmarked as the current measures only looked at use of resources and not quality or outcomes

·         An Adults and Health Plan could have its own set of KPIs which could include the following – Covid-19 vaccinations, mid-life health, deprivation of liberty safeguarding, inequality, Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic life expectancy, effectiveness in mental health services and staff retention

·         The Council did not have detailed information on care given to people who paid for their own care

·         It was requested that any TFG looking at the service overview has access to consultation output, comments from the residents and families of Marjorie Cobby House and evidence of investment in reablement

24.3     Resolved – that the Committee: -

     i.        Agrees to convene a Task and Finish Group to consider the proposed Adults and Health strategic savings 2021/22 prior to a final decision, receiving information about those services which are receiving investment such as technology and reablement services, also taking into account points made by the Committee during the discussion, in forming its terms of reference.

    ii.        Is broadly content with the Key Performance Indicators as set out, but highlights the importance of value for money indicators, mid-life health and obesity, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic life expectancy, effectiveness in mental health services and staff retention and asks that the development of the Adults and Health Plan 2021/22, has scrutiny involvement in relation to any further Key Performance Indicators, so that these points can be taken into consideration and ensure that the Committee can measure service performance effectively.