Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report and appendices of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development and Director of Adult Social Services, as submitted to Executive Board on 3^rd December 2008.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for the information/comment of the meeting:-

 

·  The report that was submitted to the Executive Board on 3^rd December 2008 on the Annual Performance Assessment (Star Rating) for Adult Social Services 2007/2008.

·  A letter from the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI)  dated 27^th October 2008 regarding the Performance Ratings for Adult Social Care Services.

·  A letter from the Commission for Social Care Inspection dated 27^th October 2008 regarding the Performance Summary report of 2007-2008 Annual Performance Assessment of Social Care Services for Adult Services.

 

The Chair informed the meeting that the CSCI Inspector involved in the production of the Star Rating report had been invited to attend the meeting on the 21st October 2008. A further reminder was issued on the 26^th of November. The invitation was declined on the 2^nd December 2008.  The CSCI Inspector, responsible for overseeing the Independence Wellbeing and Choice inspection, had also been invited in October 2008.  Unfortunately the CSCI administrative team did not pass the invitation to the inspector and therefore the Board meeting had been removed from his diary.The Chair expressed her disappointment that neither inspector was present.  This was echoed by other members of the Board.

 

The Chair welcomed the following attendees/witnesses to the meeting who outlined the report and responded to Members questions and comments:

 

-  Councillor P Harrand , Executive Board Member with the portfolio for Adult   Health and Social Care.

-  Sandie Keene – Director of Adult Social Services

-  Dennis Holmes – Chief Officer (Commissioning) – Adult Social Services

 

Councillor Harrand informed the meeting that the CSCI Inspector had attended the Executive Board meeting held on 3^rd December 2008 to present the inspection report.

 

The main areas of clarification and discussion were as follows:-

 

·  Clarification on the judgement of leadership as described in the Inspectors report.

 

The Director informed the meeting that the leadership judgement refers to the whole of the Authority, political, senior and middle management and front line leadership in terms of the Authority’s whole corporate leadership.  The Inspector concluded that the Authority did not have a significant track record of improvement and change but other elements of professionalism were deemed adequate. 

 

·  The action taken by the Adult Social Services Department in response to the Inspector’s judgement on Leadership.

 

The Director informed the Board that the department had  identified a range of problems at senior/ middle and front line management and have acted quickly to resolve the immediate safeguarding issues.  The department had developed an Action Plan (referred to in Minute 57), which the Inspector deemed a well constructed and realistic action plan.

 

·  Clarification of when the Authority was last reviewed by the CSCI Inspectors.

 

The Director informed the Board that there were two elements to the star rating.

 

·  Self Assessment - A desk top exercise which relied on information the Authority had provided to the Commission for Social Care Inspectors. This had occurred in previous years.

·  Direct Inspection -  This year the Inspectors carried out a rigorous inspection at Leeds City Council using data specifically selected by them.

 

The Inspector’s main areas of concern were as follows:

 

·  Quality assurance mechanisms insufficient

·  Lack of progression, not keeping pace with the times.

·  The fragility of the Authorities relationship with other agencies in order to maintain effective communications and function on a productive basis.

 

The department is looking at various authorities across the country that have an excellent star rating in order to identify best practice and understand the mechanisms they have in place. 

 

·  It was stated that the role of Elected Members in monitoring the department’s performance should be enhanced. Clarification of  the  membership of the Safeguarding Board was also sought.

 

The Chief Officer (Commissioning) informed the Board that he is now chairing the Safeguarding Board. Membership of the Safeguarding Board are professional officers and it was reported that a number of local authorities have an independent chairperson, however the Chief Officer stipulated that to fulfil this role the chair must have the necessary skills.

 

Councillor Peter Harrand added that it would be inappropriate to have a political chair on this board. 

 

The Director went on to inform the meeting that there were proposals to establish a Quality Assurance Sub Group of the Safeguarding Board which will be examining individual cases. Their findings would be communicated to the different stakeholder agencies.

 

·  The Board sought clarification about the size of the Authority and if responsibility for a large number of service users in part had an influence on the star rating.

 

The Director advised the board that this had no influence. Other large authorities have performed well.

 

·  Clarification was sought on the level of investigation the Inspector had undertaken for the customer facing service delivery functions. 

 

The Director informed the Board that the inspector had undertaken the following review:

 

·  Surveyed 200 service users

·  Advertised in the local press requesting people to write to them with their comments. 

·  Scrutinised in detail 35 cases.

·  Front line workers were interviewed. 

·  A range of groups, carers and partnerships were interviewed over a two week period.

 

The Inspector found a number of weaknesses around administration, filing, ordering and the department’s mixture of file and IT systems.  The department were informed that the best star rated authorities had paperless offices and that everything was computerised. 

 

  The Chief Officer (Commissioning) added that to enhance the practices of   our front line staff and strengthen partnership working more training and   monitoring would be undertaken. 

 

·  Concern was expressed that the Inspector’s report implied that this Authority was more focused on cost rather than quality of services provided for users.

 

  The Director informed the meeting that she recognised that a focus on the budget was required.  The service will be working on personalisation changes  to deliver the level of independence people want, again pledging commitment to providing the very best service for the people of Leeds.

 

·  Clarification on whether there had been any additional investment in the budget for Adult Social Care over the last few years.

 

The Director informed the meeting that it was hard to provide precise figures, as budgets for previous years had been combined for both Adults Social Care and Children’s Services, however there had been significant additional funding.

 

It was reported that there was a need for additional money over and above the Council’s settlement  and the department was proposing the need for additional funding in the 2009/2010 budget negotiations as well as analysing the best use of the current budget. 

 

·  The Director advised the Board of the Safeguarding Conference which was delivered to front line staff and attended by Tim Willis (CSCI Inspector).  The attendees were given a presentation about the Performance Assessment and the Safeguarding Action Plan

 

Annual Safeguarding Conferences had been held for the past two years.  In addition a Personalisation Conference had been delivered.  Road shows were also undertaken to provide Adult Social Care staff with updates and information.

 

The Board requested that Elected Members  be invited to any future conferences held by the Adult Social Services Department.

 

·  Clarification on the specific implications for ethnic minorities and disabled groups and the Authority’s overall approach to attainment of level 4 of the Equality Standards.

 

The Director informed the meeting that the Authority’s performance was classed as good and were performing well.  As stated in the report there were no further recommendations made by the Commission. 

 

Further information relating to the equality standard were to be provided to the Co-opted Members on this Board.

 

The Chair thanked the Executive Board Member and Officers for their attendance.

 

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

(b)  That any outstanding issues referred to above be dealt with by those Officers now identified within the minutes and reported back to  Board Members.

(c)  That a letter be issued to Linda Christon, Commission for Social Care   Inspection expressing the Boards disappointment that no CSCI   representative attended for this item.