Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

a)  To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2023

b)  Matters arising

The Minutes of the meeting held on 11 September, 2023 were agreed and signed as a true record.

There were no matters arising.

Report of the Director of Adult Services and Housing

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Services and Housing that provided an update to Adult Social Care performance for quarter two 2023/24 alongside actions in place to improve performance and proposed next steps.

Adult Social Care performance is measured in line with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) national Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) and this performance is reported nationally at year end.

Adult Social Care (ASC) also measures a series of locally defined indicators, which are reported to the Adult Social Care Management Team on a quarterly basis.

The report updated the Cabinet Member for Adult Services on the quarter two performance, actions in place to improve performance and proposed next steps. It also provided an opportunity for the Cabinet Member to provide comment.

The report also gave an update on the Adult Social Care involvement approach including engagement and user experience work undertaken in the previous quarter. This is important alongside numerical performance as it provides a context for what people with care and support needs and their carers consider important and should be used to inform areas for improvement.

An appendix to the report outlined the ASCOF figures for each of the four domains and indicators set out in the report, demonstrating the quarter two improvement of key areas in comparison to 2021/22 and 2022/23 figures. Directional arrows were displayed to summarise performance compared to previous years against these indicators. It also provided a useful comparison between Coventry City Council’s figures and those at a regional and national level.

The Director of Adult Services and Housing outlined the information in the report with the Cabinet Member, providing clarification as to any significant changes in the indicator figures as well as the steps implemented to ensure continued improvement. The Head of Adult Care and Support, summarised that no major concerns or trends had been highlighted in the data, with exception to the around 10% drop in the proportion of adults with learning disabilities who live in their own home or with their family – these results were likely due to a data issue and not a performance issue however. It was also noted that, while the numbers in relation to paid employment remained low, lots of work was being undertaken to address this.

Additionally, the Service Manager for Adult Communication updated the Cabinet Member on the engagement work being undertaken, especially with regard to the Service’s engagement with Adult Social Care providers, recruitment events, internship providers, communication with disability confident employers, and work done with the voluntary sector.

The Cabinet and Deputy Cabinet Member asked questions, sought assurances and received responses on a number of matters including:

·  Collaborations with the Job Shop to help those in care access voluntary and paid employment

·  Colour printing for the agenda, especially with regard to Appendix 1 and its colour indicators.

o  (Note: An accessible online colour agenda is provided to all Members, attendees and the public 5 working days before the meeting.)

·  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Report of the Director of Adult Services and Housing

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Services and

Housing that outlined the updated Coventry Carers Action Plan 2024-26.

In context to the action plan, the report indicated that according to the 2021 census 27,391 Coventry residents identified themselves as unpaid carers (8% of all Coventry residents). This was a reduction from 31,900 (10% of residents) in 2011. However, the 2021 census was undertaken during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This may have influenced how people perceived being a carer and how individuals accepted unpaid care. It is estimated that around 10% of the Coventry population are unpaid carers. The estimated value of unpaid care in Coventry is £680 million per annum (Valuing Carers 2015).

Therefore, the report provided an update on carers’ needs in Coventry, and the resulting action plan to improve the Service’s support to carers in the context of these needs. This understanding of needs has been derived from analysis of the biennial Survey of Adult Carers in England 2021/22, a local ‘Let’s Talk’ Coventry Carers Survey undertaken in 2023 and using national information and data sets.

The Carers Action Plan 2024-26 focuses predominantly on adult carers, with some alignment with young carers where required. The plan is a working document, and it is aimed to continue to work with local carers and third sector organisations to shape the priorities and actions moving forward.

Delivery is expected to be achieved within existing resources across a partnership of the City Council, NHS and third sector partners, although any opportunities to lever in additional resources will be explored.

Appendices to the report included the Carers Action Plan 2024-26 in its entirety and the Equality Impact Assessment.

The Director of Adult Services outlined the information in the report, drawing the Cabinet Member’s attention to the fact that under the current plan carers in Coventry do not feel well served. The new plan aims to provide support to carers which makes them feel listened to.

The Service Manager for Adult Communications further highlighted that since the last action plan, the Service has worked on the main priorities and made the following improvements:

·  The recommissioning of the Carers Trust

·  Work and collaboration with Admiral Nurses

·  The introduction of the Carers Self-Assessment that allows carers to access an assessment at a time to that suits them

·  The launch of the carers bulletin – 3000 subscribers receive updates to keep well informed and are connected to other areas of the Council such as finance and housing

·  Worked with General Practitioners (GPs) to encourage their support for carers, and collaborated with them through the Carers Trust

·  Also received feedback from the Carers Trust about the service and the challenges carers face on a day-to-day basis – such as finances, health and wellbeing, isolation etc.

Additionally, the Service Manager for Adult Communications, highlighted that currently work is being undertaken to analyse the data collected from carers and align that to the action plan and progress through a series of priorities over the coming  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Report of the Director of Adult Services and Housing

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Adult Services and Housing that outlined the Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy 2023-26.

The report emphasised that above all, a valued and respected workforce is critical to the delivery of Adult Social Care. The Service supports and develops the workforce, both their own and those of their partners, wherever possible to ensure they have the necessary skills, knowledge, values and attributes to provide effective care and support. We recognise that our workforce is key to the delivery of our Adult Social Care Offer in Coventry.

This Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy focused on Adult Social Care’s workforce, both internally within the Council and the external social care providers and the challenges they face together. It was also a statement of their workforce priorities and the action taken to deliver them. Coventry’s Adult Social Care workforce is diverse with people working for the independent sector, local authority and for people in receipt of direct payments.

The Adult Social Care Workforce Board and Adults Joint Commissioning Group will have oversight of the Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy and associated action plans. They will receive reports on progress and take the lead in ensuring the Strategy is reviewed and refreshed and that actions are being delivered.

Appendices attached to the report include both the Workforce Strategy 2023-26 in its entirety and an Equalities Impact Assessment.

The Head of Practice Development and Safeguarding outlined to the Cabinet Member the importance and far-reaching impact of delivering a workforce strategy for around 10,000 Adult Social Care staff in Coventry altogether. With this in mind, it was felt that the strategy should be simple and digestible to ensure it is widely read. Specifically, workforce planning was a key focus of the strategy, especially in posts where it is traditionally hard to recruit. Engagement events and workpacks were also highlighted as key aspects of the work being done as part of the strategy.

The Cabinet and Deputy Cabinet Member asked questions, sought assurances and received responses on a number of matters including:

·  Rising salaries and the inability to effectively provide the appropriate salary equivalent to the role.

·  Career paths – making the image of carers more appealing through training and visualising the value of the work.

·  Majority female carers and how to engage other genders to come forward and join the carers workforce – socialised, stereotypical and gender biased roles and the issues caused in the health sector as a result.

The Cabinet Member gave her thanks to officers for the comprehensive report and the work being done to implement such a vital workforce strategy for Adult Social Care.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Adult Services endorses the Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy 2023-26.

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

There were no other items of urgent public business.