Issue - meetings

For the Committee to consider and comment on the Quarter 2 Integrated Performance Report (period covering April - September 2023).

The Committee received the Integrated Performance Report, which gave a retrospective summary of the Council’s performance at the end of Quarter 2 (April - September 2023) against the strategic priorities and areas of focus set out in the Council Plan 2022-2027. Key sections of the report focussed on: 

·   Performance against the Performance Management Framework

·   Progress on the Integrated Delivery Plan

·   Management of Finance

·   Management of Risk

The Chair referred to the pre-committee briefing session on performance and the Power BI platform. Questions and comments were submitted on the following areas:

• Clarity was provided on the target and actual data for people supported in residential or nursing care, both for people aged under and over 65 years of age. In both cases this was an area where the current target was being exceeded, so it was ‘not on track’. This was an area where it would be useful to provide additional context in the report and an offer was made to circulate a briefing note.
• Referring to the above point, it was questioned if there was an increasing trend in service demand. Pete Sidgwick said there had been an increase in the number of people being supported and of those, a higher proportion were in residential or nursing care placements. There was a financial impact and currently, the cost per placement was also higher. A perceived contributor was the worsening health and wellbeing of an aging population. Reference also to the national datasets, against which Warwickshire had historically compared favourably. It was reported that the local data had increased but all areas were seeing a similar growth in data for these indicators. Increases in NHS activity also had an impact on the number of people requiring onward care.
• A member asked if increases in the cost of living was a contributor. This view was not shared by officers, it being seen more as the worsening health and wellbeing of the older population with significant care and support needs. The Chair added that people were living longer with acuity of need and increased frailty.
• It was noted that the strategic risk register had been refreshed, with three areas relating to Adult Social Care. Clarity was sought on the classification of risk which differed in two sections of the report. It was agreed that this be researched, and clarification would be provided to members.
• Reassurance was sought on the falling data for number of carers receiving support each month. There had been no change in policy or procedures in this area delivered by the Carers’ Trust. The data did fluctuate with factors such as school holidays having an impact. There had been a lot of work to improve performance in this area and it was expected that the data would now level out.
• There was concern at the forecast budget overspend for Adult Social Care, it being asked if the forecast was realistic or if the end-of-year position could be even worse.  Officers responded that the position would become clearer as the financial  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6