Issue - meetings

The Committee will receive a presentation on the development of the new Adult Social Care Strategy.

Kate Harker, Head of Older People Commissioning provided a presentation to the Committee. This outlined the development of the new Adult Social Care Strategy which was in its early stages. The presentation included the following slides:

• Why produce an Adult Social Care Strategy?
• What will it look like?
• Context for the Strategy
• Strengths
• Challenges
• A note about engagement, consultation and co-production
• Strategy – emerging overarching priorities
• Emerging areas of focus under 'Safeguarding, Supported and Satisfied'
• Sustaining and building our strength based approach 
• Proposed solutions we anticipate will feature in the Strategy
• Any comments on the overall approach and development of the strategy
• Timeline for drafting, engagement and governance

The following questions and comments were submitted, with responses provided as indicated.

• A member spoke of the challenges and workforce pressures faced. It was questioned if the minimum wage and reduced numbers of overseas care workers was having an impact. Kate Harker explained the annual inflationary increases in pay rates and for service provider funding. There had been workforce pressures, and care workers from abroad were employed. Currently there was bed capacity and providers had the staffing levels required to deliver services.
• The Chair commented that brokerage was important. In some cases, people had to move when their current placement could no longer be funded.  Kate Harker gave an outline of how brokerage would work, through specialist staff negotiating with providers for each placement to agree an appropriate price for the care required. The brokerage approach may ensure that care rates remained broadly the same and did not escalate, which would be viewed as a successful outcome.
• Reference to the five district and borough council local plans, it being questioned if the Adult Social Care Strategy was integral to them. Significant population growth was predicted and as people got older, they would need more support. The member referred to assistive technology, reminding of the projects of two NHS providers to support people at home. Social Care should join with the NHS in developing joint strategies to help people to be supported at home. This would improve quality and bring cost savings. It may be a role for this Committee to monitor.
• Pete Sidgwick reminded that this was an Adult Social Care strategy. The strategy was likely to reflect the work that was already taking place, including that required by the Care Act. However, there may be opportunities to do things better, in a more integrated way and to hear from service users and residents. Moving to how the strategy would be delivered, the assistive technology approach was a key factor to enable people to be as independent as possible. Such technology was already in use and there was a wish to innovate and to improve. Becky Hale spoke about housing with care, linking even more with districts and boroughs on the local plans and the opportunities through this strategy to develop the housing that would be needed for future residents. The Chair added that all councils had adopted the Health and Wellbeing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6