Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of Adult Social Services on the implications of the Care Act to Leeds City Council and the associated development and change required to information management and technology systems to support a successful implementation. The report notes that the changes to the information management and technology systems will require an investment of £1,652,000 and Executive Board is requested to approve the release of £608,000 to supplement the identified funding of £1,044,000

The Director of Adult Social Services submitted a report regarding the implications of the Care Act 2014 to Leeds City Council and the associated development and change required to information management and technology systems to support a successful implementation. The report noted that the changes to the information management and technology systems would require an investment of £1,652,000 and Executive Board was requested to approve the release of £608,000 to supplement the identified funding of £1,044,000.

Responding to an enquiry, the Board received further detail on the proposals and clarification on the need for the investment into the information management and technology systems, which was due to the new requirements arising from the introduction of the 2014 Care Act.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the significant change which the Care Act means for the Council and the resultant need to invest in information management and technology systems in order to enable the Council to fulfil its statutory duties and continue to provide quality care and support services to the citizens of Leeds, be noted.

(b)  That the amount of change currently being undertaken within Leeds, both within the Council and with Health and external partners be noted, together with the fact that the Care Act may have an impact on the scope and delivery timescales of the related change programmes.

(c)  That the release of £608,000 additional funding in order to supplement the identified funding of £1,044,000 to implement the information management and technology change necessary to enable the successful implementation of the Care Act within Leeds City Council, be approved.

(d)  That it be noted that the officer responsible for progressing the implementation of this programme of work is the Chief Officer, Resources and Strategy within Adult Social Care.

(e)  That following the Board’s approval of the funding, it be noted that the delivery of this programme of work will commence in July 2014 for a period of 2 years.

(f)  That it be noted that the current funding estimates are based upon recently published consultation guidance which will be subject to change until October 2014. However, it also be noted that the Council needs to invest in the design and development of the information management and technology solutions now, if the Council is to meet the first phase of the Care Act implementation deadline of 1^st April 2015.