Brighton & Hove City Council
Adult Social Care & Public Health Sub-Committee
4.00pm17 January 2024
Hove Town Hall - Council Chamber
Minutes
Present: Councillor Burden (Chair) Galvin, Miller, Winder and Shanks
Part One
26 Procedural Business
26(a) Declaration of Substitutes
26.1 Cllr Sue Shanks attended as substitute for Cllr Pete West.
26(b) Declarations of Interest
26.2 There were no declarations of interest.
26(c) Exclusion of the Press and Public
26.3 In accordance with Section 100A the of the Local Government 1972 (“The Act”), the Sub Committee considered whether the public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item of business on the agenda on the grounds that it was likely in view of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the public were present during it there would be disclosure to them of confidential information as defined in Section 100(A) of the Act.
26.4 It was noted that the appendix to Item 24 on the agenda contained information which was exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act. If the Sub Committee wished to discuss any information contained in the appendix they would need to do so whilst the public were excluded. Members did not raised any matters in respect of any information contained in the confidential appendix and therefore all of the business of the meeting was conducted in public session.
26.5 RESOLVED – That the Press and Public not be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item of business on the agenda.
Webcasting of the Meeting
26.6 The Chair explained that the meeting was being webcast live and that it would be available for repeated subsequent viewing.
27 Minutes
27.1 RESOLVED – that the minutes of the 12 September 2023 meeting be agreed as an accurate record.
28 Chair's Communications
28.1 The Chair gave the following communications:
Today at our sub-committee, we’re presenting an item on how we commission Care Home placements. We’ve taken some important steps in this re-commissioning of care homes to enhance their quality of care. with a range of new conditions included in the contract – this includes new standards around Public health and Infection prevention and control, but also vital new conditions around LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
While the real scale of possible abuse of LGBTQ+ elders is currently unknown, during an investigation, the campaigning charity Compassion in Care received 423 reports of homophobic abuse in care homes across the UK and feel that’s “just the tip of the iceberg” - with a national rise in homophobic abuse up by 112% and trans abuse up by 186% % in the last five years, it’s feared much more abuse remains hidden.
In Brighton & Hove, we need to take a preventative approach. We’re the LGBTQ+ capital of Britain, so we need to be on the front foot with inclusive care – when our older population need to enter a care home in later life, it’s totally unacceptable for them to feel they have to go back into the closet or risk facing abuse.
Through our involvement with The CIRCLE project, led by a research team at the University of Kent, Brighton & Hove are able to steer care homes to improve their quality of care and support for older LGBTQ+ people, whilst challenging any form of poor practice, and I’m proud of the work we’re doing in our city in collaboration with this project, which includes the CQC, other local authorities across Sussex, and voluntary organisations Opening Doors and Switchboard. The CIRCLE project are the vanguard of inclusive care – and through our work with them, new standards in inclusive care are being co-designed that will enhance, not just care for our local populations across Sussex, but set new national benchmarks for inclusive care in Britan.
29 Call-Over
29.1 Items 33, 34 and 37 were reserved for discussion.
30 Public Involvement
30.1 There was none.
31 Items Referred from Council
31.1 There were none.
32 Member Involvement
32.1 There was none.
33 Re-commissioning of Healthwatch services
33.1 The report was introduced by John Reading, Third Sector Manager.
33.2 Cllrs Miller and Shanks asked questions on this item.
33.3 RESOLVED - That Committee approves the re-commissioning of the Healthwatch contract and delegates authority to the Executive Director for Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities to procure and award a three year contract and to grant a two year extension (subject to satisfactory performance).
33.4 Cllr Shanks voted against the resolution, having argued that a direct award to the current provider could have been made instead and would be a better option given the excellent track record of the current provider and the need to manage procurement costs.
34 Care Homes Spot Purchase Recommission
34.1 This item was introduced by Christopher Davies, Commissioning Officer, HASC.
34.2 Cllrs Shanks and Cllr Galvin asked questions on this report.
34.3 RESOLVED – That the Sub-Committee:
2.1 agrees to the proposed re-commission of Residential Care Home Services, via the route to market identified in Section 4 awarding contracts for a period of six years; and
2.2 agrees that, if required, a compliant extension of the existing contracts until 30th September 2024 may be actioned; and
2.3 delegates authority to the Executive Director of Health and Adult Social Care to undertake the above recommendations 2.1 and 2.2.
35 Annual Adult Social Care Fees Report 2024-25
35.1 RESOLVED - That the Adult Social Care & Public Health Sub Committee agrees to the recommended fee increases as outlined in Appendix 1. The underpinning background to this proposed fee change is contained in the main body of the report. The proposed fee increases are within the council funding allocated for uplifts for 2024-25.
36 Annual Review of Adult Social Care Charging Policy 2024-25
36.1 RESOLVED - That Sub-Committee
(2.1) agrees with the current charging policy for care and support services which includes an individual financial assessment to determine affordability and complies with the requirements of Section 17 of the Care Act 2014; and
(2.2) agrees to a 3.5% increase (rounded) on the following
maximum charges from 8th April 2023 (when state benefits increase):
Maximum Charges 2023-2024 2024-2025
Means Tested Charges Maximum Proposed Maximum
In-house home
care/support
£31 per hour £32 per hour
In–house day care
Drop in Day Care
£46 per day
£23 per session
£48 per day
£24 per session
In-House Residential Care
£160 per night
(£1120 per week)
£166 per night
(£1162 per week)
Fixed Rate Charges
Fixed Rate Transport £4.70 return £4.90 return; and
(2.3) agrees to an increase for miscellaneous fees at 3.5% :
2023-2024 2024-2025
Deferred Payment set up fee (see 2.13)
£617 initial charge £639 one off charge
Initial fee for contracting
non-residential care for selffunders
£325 initial charge £336 one off charge
Ongoing fee for contracting
for non-residential care for
self- funders
£101 per year £105 per year; and
2.4 agrees to increase Carelink Service fees by 3.5%:
2023-24 2024-25
Standard Carelink Plus £22.30 per month £23.10 per month
Enhanced Carelink Service £26.70 per month £27.60 per month
Mobile Phone (discontinued) £28.90 per month 28.90 per month; and
(2.5) agrees to continue with the existing policy not to charge carers
for any direct provision of support to carers.
37 Brighton & Hove City Council Strategic Risk Register: HASC Risks
37.1 This item was introduced by Kat Brett, HASC Business Improvement Manager.
37.2 Cllrs asked questions on this report.
37.3 RESOLVED – That the sub-committee:
Notes Appendix 1 with details of the two SRs and mitigating controls and actions; and
Notes Appendix 2 which provides:
i. a guide on the risk management process;
ii. guidance on how Members might want to ask questions of Risk Owners,
or officers connected to the strategic risks; and
iii. details of opportunities for Members, or officers, to input on Strategic
Risks at various points and levels; and
38 Items Referred for Council
38.1 There were none.
The meeting concluded at 16:34
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