Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director, People

The Scrutiny Board considered a report of the Executive Director, People providing a brief overview of the Adult Social Care Annual Report for 2013/14 (Local Account) which described the performance of Adult Social Care and the progress made against the priorities set for the year. A copy of the draft Annual Report was set out at an appendix. A copy of the final designed version of the report had also been e-mailed to members prior to the meeting. The report was also to be considered by Cabinet at their meeting on 7^th October, 2014.

The report indicated that Councils were expected to produce a Local Account that demonstrated the performance of adult social care to local citizens. It provided the opportunity to be open and transparent about the successes and challenges of the year and to show how outcomes were improving for the people Adult Social Care supports. The Board were informed that this was not a statutory document.

The annual report used information taken from the Adult Social Care survey. It identified key challenges which included the introduction of the Care Act in April 2015; the Better Care Fund; and managing with a reducing financial resource. The report would be shared with local people, people who use services, carers and partner agencies. Their feedback would inform the approach to producing next year’s report. 

The Board noted that the commentary from Healthwatch Coventry was still awaited. 

Members of the Board questioned the officers and responses were provided. Representatives from University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry and Rugby CCG and Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust who were in attendance also responded to questions. Matters raised included:

·  Clarification as to when the response from Healthwatch Coventry would be received

·  An explanation about the net spend on services, in particular the largest amount spent on residential costs and the likelihood of this increasing

·  An understanding of the monitoring undertaken ensuring adults were supported to move back/remain in their own accommodation

·  An update on the latest position concerning pooled budgets

·  Clarification about the support for partnership working including new ways of working which aimed to prevent the vulnerable going into hospital care

·  Concerns about reduced funding having an impact on the services available to support mental health patients and the difficulties associated with the unavailability of GP appointments

·  Further information about the implications of the Care Act in relation to self-funders of residential care who, in the future, will be entitled to financial support from the Council, the impact of which could be very significant.

RESOLVED that:

(1) The Board support the publication of the Annual Report.

(2) A briefing note be submitted to Cabinet at their meeting on 7^th October, 2014 informing of the Board’s considerations including asking Cabinet to consider further the use of pooled budgets to support better partnership working, cost savings and improved service delivery.

(3) The Annual Report for 2014/15 to be submitted to the Scrutiny Board when the commentary from Healthwatch Coventry has been included in the report.

(4) A report on the support available for mental health patients from the health providers to be submitted to a future meeting of the Board.