Issue - meetings

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (People), which set out the Adult Social Care Annual Report and Key Areas of Improvement 2018/19 (Local Account).

The Adult Social Care Annual Report and Key Areas of Improvement 2018/19 (also referred to as Local Account) describes the performance of Adult Social Care and the progress made against the priorities for the year.  It also provides specific examples of the operational activities to support service users and carers.  As with the report for 2017/18 it is aligned around the Adult Social Care values and principles as a mechanism of demonstrating the actions the Council is taking to put what it signs up to strategically into practice.

Although there is not a statutory requirement to produce an annual report, it is considered good practice as it provides an opportunity to be open and transparent about the successes and challenges facing Adult Social Care and to show what is being done to improve outcomes for those that come into contact with the Council’s services.  The production of an annual report is part of the Local Government Associations (LGA) approach to Sector Led Improvement.  This approach was launched following the removal of national targets and assessments for Adult Social Care. 

The production of the 2018/19 report has drawn on the pool of feedback and information that was gathered over the year from a range of sources including social care staff, Partnership Boards, Adult Social Care Stakeholder Reference Group, providers, partner organisations and people that have been in contact with Adult Social Care along with their families and carers.

The Local Account also looks forward to 2019/20 and includes summary details regarding key areas for improvement. These are improvements the service intends to progress in order to further improve service delivery and cost efficiencies.  Although the improvements will deliver a contribution towards overall corporate budget savings targets this is not the main driver for change.  The priority is to improve care and support services for adults and in doing so to create a stable provider market for the city, within the context of ongoing uncertainty for the future funding of adult social care. 

The Cabinet noted that the report had been considered by the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Board (5) at its meeting on 11^th September 2019.  The Board had welcomed the report and supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED that, the Cabinet:

1.  Note comments from the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Board (5)

2.  Approve the Adult Social Care Annual Report and Key Areas of Improvement 2018/19 (Local Account)