Agenda for Adult Social Care & Health Cabinet Member Meeting on Monday, 12th March, 2012, 4.00pm
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Agenda, decisions and draft minutes
PDF 207 KBVenue: Committee Room 1, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Caroline De Marco, Democratic Sevrices Officer
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Procedural Business
(b) Exclusion of Press and Public - To consider whether, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting when any of the following items are under consideration.
NOTE: Any item appearing in Part 2 of the Agenda states in its heading either that it is confidential or the category under which the information disclosed in the report is exempt from disclosure and therefore not available to the public.
A list and description of the categories of exempt information is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls. Minutes: 40(a) Declarations of Interests
40.1 There were none.
40(b) Exclusion of Press and Public
40.2 In accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (“the Act”), the Cabinet Member considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during an item of business 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 press and public were present during that item, there would be disclosure to them of confidential information (as defined in section 100A(3) of the Act) or exempt information (as defined in section 100I(I) of the Act).
40.3 RESOLVED - That the press and public be not excluded from the meeting.
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Minutes of the previous meeting Minutes of the Meeting held on 16 January 2012 (copy attached). Minutes: 41.1 RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Adult Social Care & Health Cabinet Member Meeting held on 16 January 2012 be agreed and signed by the Cabinet Member.
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Cabinet Member's Communications Minutes: 42.1 There were none. |
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Items reserved for discussion (a) Items reserved by the Cabinet Member
(b) Items reserved by the Opposition Spokespersons
(c) Items reserved by Members, with the agreement of the Cabinet Member.
NOTE: Public Questions, Written Questions from Councillors, Petitions, Deputations, Letters from Councillors and Notices of Motion will be reserved automatically. Minutes: 43.1 RESOLVED – That all items be reserved for discussion. |
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Petitions No petitions have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 44.1 There were none.
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Public Questions (The closing date for receipt of public questions is 12 noon on 5 March 2012)
No public questions have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 45.1 There were none.
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Deputations (The closing date for receipt of deputations is 12 noon on 5 March 2012)
No deputations have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 46.1 There were none.
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Letters from Councillors No letters have been received. Minutes: 47.1 There were none.
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Written Questions from Councillors No written questions have been received. Minutes: 48.1 There were none.
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Notices of Motions No Notices of Motion have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 49.1 There were none.
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Joint Commissioning Strategy for Adults with Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC) 2012-2015
Report of Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People (to be circulated separately). Additional documents: Decision: (1) That the contents of the strategy (Appendix 1) and its proposed strategic objectives, actions and outcomes be noted.
(2) That the attached strategy and proposed actions be agreed.
Minutes: 50.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People which set out the longer-term direction and scope of how health and social services and associate organisations could achieve improved outcomes for adults with autism, their families and carers in the City of Brighton & Hove.
50.2 The Strategy had been developed in response to national level legislation and strategy as well as local level evidence which had raised the profile of autism in adults and shown that adults with autism faced significant challenges.
50.3 The Lead Commissioner for Learning Disabilities confirmed that the strategy attached to the report was the final version and that all consultation had been completed as detailed in paragraph 4 of the report.
50.4 The Lead Commissioner stressed the problems of underreporting and lack of understanding of autism. As a result the needs of people with autism were not always fed into planning for services. There was a need for a clear pathway into services.
50.5 The Lead Commissioner stressed that most people with autism could be supported through training and adjustments in mainstream services. There was a need to ensure that individuals who required specialist services had access to them. Meanwhile, transition needed to be improved.
50.6 The Cabinet Member reported that he had helped to support a child in secondary school with Asperger Syndrome. There was a question over how well he had coped after leaving school. Failure to support could lead to people going in the wrong direction in terms of employment etc. The Cabinet Member was concerned at under reporting. He noted that there were many adults who had Autistic Spectrum Conditions. They could be supported by modifying mainstream services. He welcomed the report.
50.7 Councillor Norman stressed that there had been a great deal of input into the strategy through the scrutiny panel and committee. He considered that the transition period was crucial in terms of helping people with ASC into adulthood. The Cabinet Member agreed that there was a need to ensure work was carried out on transition.
50.8 RESOLVED - (1) That the contents of the strategy (Appendix 1) and its proposed strategic objectives, actions and outcomes be noted.
(2) That the attached strategy and proposed actions be agreed.
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Fee Level for Adult Social Care Services 2011-12 Report of Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People (copy attached). Decision: (1) That the recommended uplift as set out in the Table in paragraph 3.3 of the report be agreed.
(2) That the recommendation for Brighton and Hove to match the applicable host authority set rates for new and existing care home placements out of the city be agreed.
Minutes: 51.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People which concerned fees paid to independent and voluntary sector providers that supplied care services on behalf of Brighton and Hove City Council Adult Social Care. It covered fees paid to providers of services for older people, people with physical disabilities, adults with mental health needs (including HIV and substance misuse) and learning disability services. Service providers included care homes, home care and community support, community service and direct payments.
51.2 The 2012/13 budget strategy for Adult Social Care that was agreed by Budget Council on 23 February included a commitment to increase rates payable to independent nursing and residential care and homecare providers in 2012/13 to help cover rising energy costs and support fair rates of pay for workers in this sector so that the needs of those receiving care could be met.
51.3 The Joint Commissioner Older People reported that it was recommended that the majority of care homes/nursing homes should have a 5% uplift, with the exception of Learning Disabilities which would be individually negotiated. Home Care was being put on hold as officers were working with providers on a new Home Care Contract.
51.4 The Cabinet Member noted the pressures due to rising costs and retaining suitable staff. He referred to paragraph 3.3.2 in the report. This stated that it was expected that providers would use a proportion of the fees to increase the salary of the lowest paid staff towards the living wage. He hoped this would improve recruitment and retention.
51.5 Councillor Norman agreed that it would be good to increase the wages of low paid staff. He expressed concern that this could not be guaranteed, and that wages might not be improved at all.
51.6 The Cabinet Member replied that the council had built a relationship with homes and it had been made clear in negotiations that there was an expectation that part of the uplift should be spent to improve wages for the low paid. If this did not happen, then the position of the homes concerned would be weakened when the next uplift was negotiated.
51.7 The Joint Commissioner explained that homes would be audited and this will include details of how the uplift is passed on to staff. In the new contract the council will ask for open book accounting.
51.8 Councillor Norman asked where the funding for the increase in fees would be found. The Head of Finance – Business Engagement confirmed that no extra savings were required to fund the increase in fees. Additional funding had been identified.
51.9 RESOLVED – (1) That the recommended uplift as set out in the Table in paragraph 3.3 of the report be agreed.
(1) That the recommendation for Brighton and Hove to match the applicable host authority set rates for new and existing care home placements out of the city be agreed.
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Commissioning Plan for Community Meals
Report of Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: (1) That the principles proposed in paragraph 3.15, that will inform the commissioning planning, are approved.
(2) That a further report is submitted to the June Cabinet Member Meeting or relevant committee meeting outlining the options considered and recommending a preferred model of service to be commissioned.
Minutes: 52.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Services/Lead Commissioner People which reported that the council provided a well established Community Meals service through a contract with the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS). The contract would come to an end in March 2012.
52.2 The Council was considering the future commissioning plans for this service and the report summarised the key issues that were being considered and the emerging principles that would inform future commissioning plans. A waiver had been approved to extend the existing WRVS contract initially until the end of September 2012, with an option for a further extension until March 2013, to enable the development of a commissioning plan and allow for any future procurement programme.
52.3 The Head of Performance and Contracting referred to paragraph 3.11 in the report which identified key issues in the review of the service. Appendix 1 to the report attached the notes of a meeting of the Adult Social Care & Housing Overview and Scrutiny Community Meals Workshop, chaired by Councillor Norman. The Adult Social Care & Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 8 March had endorsed the report.
52.4 The Cabinet Member stated that he was pleased that this matter had been discussed at scrutiny meetings and that there had been general support for the approach suggested. It was the right time to look at the overall structure of the service. In the long term, sourcing meals from a company in Wales was not the right approach. The Cabinet Member stressed the importance of transitional arrangements.
52.5 Councillor Norman supported the proposals. He had wanted to see a better service for some years and it was now possible to move forward. He stressed that the WRVS had systems in place for delivery of the service. Councillor Norman wanted to see a service with locally sourced, freshly cooked food. He agreed with the process but stressed that it must lead to a better service. He thanked the Head of Performance and Contracting and everyone else who had worked on the review.
52.6 RESOLVED - (1) That the principles proposed in paragraph 3.15, that will inform the commissioning planning, are approved.
(2) That a further report is submitted to the June Cabinet Member Meeting or relevant committee meeting outlining the options considered and recommending a preferred model of service to be commissioned.
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