Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all in attendance to the January meeting of the Scrutiny Board (Adult Social Care).

Members were advised at this juncture that the Scrutiny Board meeting was inquorate and unable to make any formal decisions.  It was advised that under the circumstances, any recommendations would be need to ratified at the next Scrutiny Board meeting in February.

To declare any personal / prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81 (3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members Code of Conduct.

Councillor Chapman declared a personal interest in agenda item 7, Transitional Arrangements for Disabled Young People into Adult Social Care, and agenda item 8, Scrutiny Inquiry: Personalisation Working Group – Update Report, on the basis that she had a relative who worked for Leeds General Infirmary and in private industry as a homecare worker. (Minute Nos. 82 and 83 refer)

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were submitted by Councillors P Ewens, Mrs R Feldman, A Gabriel, T Hanley, V Morgan and F Robinson; and by Co-opted Member Ms J Fisher (Alliance Service Users and Carers).

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th December 2009.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th December 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

(Councillor E Taylor joined the meeting at 10.15 am during the consideration of this item – The Scrutiny Board was advised that the meeting was now quorate.)

Scrutiny Board (Adult Social Care) – 11^th November 2009

Minute No. 60 - Performance of Homecare Service Providers (Independent and Indirectly provided)

It was reported that comparative information in relation to home care provision from other similar sized authorities had been circulated by e-mail to Members on 7^th January 2010.

Scrutiny Board (Adult Social Care) – 16^th December 2009

Minute No. 69 – Matters Arising from the Minutes – Dignity in Care

It was reported that the Daily Telegraph article in relation to single-sex wards had been circulated by e-mail to Members on 18^th December 2009.

Minute No. 71 - Recommendation Tracking – Major Adaptations for Disabled Adults

The Scrutiny Board was awaiting further information about Aire Valley Homes adaptations delivery performance, which it was reported would be provided by 15^th January 2010.

Minute No. 73 – Scrutiny Inquiry – Supporting Working Age Adults with Severe and Enduring Mental Health Problems – Working Group Update

The Scrutiny Board was informed that a range of service users were due to attend the Working Group meeting on Thursday 14^th January 2010.

To receive and consider a report from the Director of Adult Social Care informing the Scrutiny Board of the need for change and improvement in the Transitions Experience and how both Children and Young People Social Care (CYPSC) and Adult Social Care (ASC) have worked to improve the process.

The Director of Adult Social Care submitted a report informing the Scrutiny Board of the need for change and improvement in the transitions experience and how both Children and Young People Social Care (CYPSC) and Adult Social Care (ASC) were aiming to improve the process.

The following information was appended to the report for Members’ information:

-  Terms of Reference – Transitional Arrangements for Children into Adult Social Care; and

-  Draft Transition Procedure for Young Disabled People in Leeds.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting, Councillor Lancaster, who had joined the meeting for this item as the Children’s Services Scrutiny Board Representative.

In addition, the following officers attended the meeting and responded to Members’ questions and comments:

-  Dennis Holmes, Deputy Director (Strategic Commissioning), Adult Social Care;

-  Michele Tynan, Chief Officer Learning Disabilities, Adult Social Care;

-  David Rosser, Head of Service, Learning Disability Services, Adult Social Care;

-  Stephen Bardsley, Learning Disability Services, Adult Social Care;

-  Barbara Shaw, Interim Head of Disability Services, Children’s Services; and

-  Linda Randall, Transitions Team Manager, Children’s Services.

Further to the agreed terms of reference (outlined in appendix 1 of the report), the main areas of discussion were:

• Responding to individuals’ needs and promoting support from within

the community.

• Development of holistic needs assessments.
• Joint working arrangements (approximately 60 individuals identified to

benefit from the transitions service this year.)

• Acknowledgement of the difficulties experienced by families during the

transition process.

• Acknowledgement of the differences in service provision.
• Concern about individuals who did not meet the eligibility criteria when

legally attaining adulthood. (it was reported that a range of support services were provided, e.g. through Children’s Social Care, local voluntary and community sector provision.)

• Concern that there was a need for stronger support networks.
• The need to be creative about choices available to young people.
• The role of Social Care Workers, particularly in terms of responding to

issues around employment, health and housing.

• Concerns about the time taken to find appropriate housing for young

people with disabilities.

• Concerns about safeguarding arrangements (especially differences in

children and adult safeguarding arrangements). 

• Care planning and work being undertaken with young people in foster

care (the Scrutiny Board asked to be provided with further information

about this area of work.)

• Concern about the proposed membership of the Multi Agency Strategic

Transitions Board, particularly relating to attendance levels and the commitment of partners.

• Acknowledgement of the need to share good practice. (It was noted

that the first re-established Regional Forum meeting was taking place on 19^th January 2010.)

• Funding arrangements (transitions service joint funded by Children and

Adult Services.)

• Measuring success (national and local performance information to be

reported back to the Scrutiny Board.  Also, full review in 12 months,

involving Audit. User groups to be asked for their views.)

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b)  That the service continues to be developed with new staff in place during 2010;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82.

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development providing the Scrutiny Board with an update on the work of the Personalisation Working Group.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which provided the Scrutiny Board with an update on the work of the Personalisation Working Group.

Appended to the report was the following information:

-  Personalisation Terms of Reference; and

-  Minutes of the Personalisation Working Group meetings of 18^th September, 15^th October, 11^th November and 10^th December 2009.

Dennis Holmes, Deputy Director (Strategic Commissioning), was in attendance to respond to Members’ questions and comments.

In brief summary, the main highlighted points were:

• Whether there were any further areas that required scrutiny (Members agreed that the Inquiry had been thorough and comprehensive and that no further scrutiny was necessary.) 
• Suggestion that the Chair in consultation with the Principal Scrutiny Advisor reported back to the Scrutiny Board on progress made with actions arising from the Working Group meetings.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the report and information appended to the report be noted; and

(b)  That the Chair in consultation with the Principal Scrutiny Advisor reports back to the Scrutiny Board on progress made with actions arising from the Working Group meetings.

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development outlining the Scrutiny Board’s work programme for the current municipal year.

A report was submitted by the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which detailed the Scrutiny Board’s work programme for the remainder of the current municipal year.

Appended to the report for Members’ information was the current version of the Board’s work programme, an extract from the Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 1^st January 2010 to 30^th April 2010, which related to the Board’s remit, together with the minutes from the Executive Board meeting held on 9^th December 2009.

In relation to ongoing work around transitions, specifically addressing young people in foster care, it was agreed to forward a copy of the report to Scrutiny Board Members when available.

The Board was advised that approval was being sought from Executive Board in February to consult on options for future provision of long term residential care services.

RESOLVED – That subject to the comments raised at the meeting, the work programme be approved.

To note that the next meeting of the Board will be held on Wednesday 10^th February 2010 at 10.00am with a pre meeting for Board Members at 9.30am.

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on Wednesday 10^th February 2010 at 10.00 am with a pre-meeting for Board Members at 9.30 am.

(The meeting concluded at 12.10 pm.)