Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

a)  To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 2^nd September, 2021

b)  Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 2^nd September 2021 were agreed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Report of the Director of Adult Services and Housing

Further to Minute 8/21 the Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Services concerning the consultation regarding day opportunities for adults with learning disabilities.

The report recognised that the Council directly provided or commissioned a range of day opportunities for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism which were a combination of centre-based activity and more flexible community activity related opportunities.  The provision of day opportunities served an important function in meeting the responsibilities to adults with care and support needs and their carers in two primary ways:

1.  The provision of meaningful activities including learning, stimulation, and recreation. These activities all help in promoting the independence of service users

2.  The provision of valuable daytime respite for informal carers

Expectations of people with care and support needs and their families were changing and a more balanced approach with centre based and non-centre based opportunities was required.  This move to a more blended approach was accelerated over the Covid-19 pandemic, in response to the closure of centres during the first lockdown in spring 2020, and subsequent partial reopening of centre-based day opportunities.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, there had been a reduction in service users wanting to attend building-based services and more interest in a flexible outreach-based support.  The Council responded to this changing position by operating on an interim basis from fewer centres and providing more alternatives to centre-based activities where required.  Such an interim position was implemented for Wilfred Spencer Centre and the Community Zone which used to operate from two centres but since summer 2020 had been based at Wilfred Spencer Centre in Allesley.  This interim measure had proven popular with many people that used the service, and as a result a formal consultation exercise commenced in September 2021 to mainstream this way of working and permanently close the day centre provision that operated from the Community Zone at Frank Walsh House in Hillfields.

The consolidation on an interim basis helped the development of a more diverse day opportunity offer which included, a range of alternative and creative therapeutic, educational outreach services.  Opportunities afforded by technology were established and delivered better outcomes for many service users.  Virtual day services had become more popular and would remain a future offer for service users, their families, and carers.

The changes in demand for centre-based services had been significant.  Prior to Covid, Wilfred Spencer offered 170 places per week which supported 34 service users over 5 days, and the Zone offered 125 places supporting 25 service users over 5 days.  Currently the combination of both services in the limited space at Wilfred Spencer was offering 120 places per week which was meeting current demand during the recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.  After the refurbishment the new model aimed to increase capacity to 260 places per week over 5 days and would be able to offer a wider variety of activities.  Extra capacity would be realised as a result of the refurbishment and also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Report of the Director of Adult Services and Housing

Further to Minute 14/19 the Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Services which sought approval to extend the existing Section 75 Partnership Agreement with Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust (CWPT) for the delivery of integrated mental health services.  Council delegated functions under the S75 agreement and a summary of findings from the review in Oct 2021 were appended to the report.

The City Council entered into a Section 75 agreement on 1 April 2014 following Cabinet approval initially for a three-year period but with provision for annual extensions.  The agreement was extended from 1 April 2017 and for various periods since, with the latest in 2020 for a period of 24 months.  It was anticipated that during this period significant development would take forward the NHS 10-year plan but did not take account of the COVD-19 pandemic which had impacted on progress.

The Section 75 Partnership Agreement provided the legal framework to underpin joint working in Adult and Older People's Mental Health Services.  Under this framework, joint Health and Social Care teams delivered mental health services from a single line management structure led by CWPT with designated Council staff seconded, and the delegation of specific social care duties, namely the Care Act 2014.  Although the service delivery elements were integrated the financial responsibilities for health and social care remained separate with this separation to continue under the extended agreement.

Coventry City Council (CCC), Warwickshire County Council (WCC) and CWPT remained committed to integrated working practices as a means for delivering joined up support to people with mental ill health across Coventry and Warwickshire. The S75 agreement continueed to provide a suitable vehicle through which to deliver this and to meet the national expectations for integrated care provisions.

There had been various reviews throughout the period of the agreements but one most recently conducted involved all three partner agencies and much of the feedback reflected the positive output of the previous reviews.  It highlighted the challenges that were created from differences of approach across organisational, geographical, and professional boundaries.  Coventry and Warwickshire were not unique in this regard, and many other Section 75 Partnerships across the country had been disbanded through not being able to adequately address these issues.

The S75 Strategic Board had carefully considered the output from the review, and options for continuation of the partnership and concluded that for users of community mental health services, the benefits of integration continued to outweigh the alternative of services separated by location, design and purpose. This review supported the options appraisal previously conducted by Adult Social Care on behalf of Coventry City Council.

As system partners, the formation of Integrated Care Boards later in 2022 would place further obligation on our organisations to work more closely together.  The Coventry and Warwickshire S75 Partnership had been recognised by other national stakeholders for its tenacity and commitment to making these arrangements work and was seen as one of the few areas nationally where the partnership was undergoing continuous improvement.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance concerning the one outstanding issue item that was to be the subject of an update report at a future Cabinet Member meeting.

Further to Minute 13/21 above the outcome of the consultation exercise for Older Peoples Dementia Day Services at the Maymorn building in Everden Road, Holbrooks would be considered at a future meeting.

Further to Minute 3/19 regarding ‘Adult Social Care Practice Framework Adults and their Carers at the Heart of Practice’ this update was no longer necessary.

RESOLVED that the Outstanding Issues report be updated.