Agenda item

Briefing Note of the Director of Care, Health and Housing

The Board considered a report and presentation of the Director of Care, Health and Housing regarding the Local Integrated Teams element of the Improving Lives programme approximately 12 months post implementation and its impact on Adult Social Care (ASC).

The report outlined how the programme launched as a city-wide service in July 2024, integrates urgent response, therapy, adult social care, and community services through the One Coventry Integrated Teams. This person-centred approach prioritises supporting people at home, reducing unnecessary hospital admissions, and promoting independence. Key pathways include care at home, reablement beds, and discharge to assess, all enhanced by therapy-first and digital options. The programme has led to a marked reduction in discharge to assess beds and improved outcomes, with staff reporting more efficient, joined-up support. External recognition, including shortlisting for national awards, highlights the programme’s innovative partnership working.

Officers drew attention to the post-implementation Health Check carried out by Newton Europe in May 2025 which evaluated the programme’s impact on hospital admission avoidance, internal hospital processes, and supported discharges. The review highlighted strong leadership in embedding the Improving Lives model but emphasised the need for sustained focus and effort to achieve and maintain performance targets, noting that behaviour and culture change take time.

Following the Health Check, the team has:

·  Reviewed baseline data and targets, particularly for long-term support, with ongoing monitoring through Adult Social Care meetings and OCIT governance.

·  Streamlined case transfers from Local Integrated Teams to Adult Social Care.

·  Continued monitoring capacity and demand, especially ahead of seasonal pressures.

·  Delivered additional staff training and development.

Additional information on the programme was attached as an appendix to the report.

The Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Councillors L Bigham and D Toulson, introduced the item and highlighted the programme’s nature as the vanguard of ASC with its focus on dignity being a key driving factor in its success.

Members of the Board, having considered the report and presentation, asked questions and received information from officers on the following matters:

·  The quantitative impacts of the programme – less beds being taken up, influence on ASCOF (Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework) figures, and reduced handoffs between departments.

·  The use of operational graphs in the report and their ability to present live data and not management narratives.

·  Linking the planned delivery of the programme to cost saving metrics – achieving targets results in a cost saving of £2 million for ASC.

·  How the merging of 3 line management structures has led to improved feedback, the sharing of skills and improved working conditions.

·  The use of demographics in the data to track health inequalities and protect the most vulnerable groups.

·  An explanation of each of the three pathways and their delivery mechanisms – from home support (pathway 1), residential care (pathway 2), and nursing care (pathway 3).

·  The involvement of the Virtual Beds initiative.

·  Feedback from partner organisations and service users and ensuring its inclusion for the next annual report.

·  The options available for further improvement.

·  How further staff feedback would help promote programme delivery.

The Cabinet and Deputy Cabinet Member thanked officers for the report and presentation and reiterated the importance of the programme to provide dignity to service users.

RESOLVED that the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Board (5):

1.  Notes the content of the report and presentation and supports the next steps as identified in the presentation.