Agenda item

To consider a further report updating Members of progress against specific actions in the Adult Inspection Action Plan which were specific recommendations agreed by the Proposals Working Group.

 The Chief Officer, Social Care Commissioning submitted a further report to update Members of progress against specific actions in the Adult Inspection Action Plan which were specific recommendations agreed by this Board’s Proposals Working Group.

The Board resolved to undertake two areas of specific safeguarding inquiries, the first being Strengthening Strategic Partnerships (Minute 76 of the last meeting refers) and the second one being the implementation of quality assurance processes (Recommendations 2, 6 and 11 as outlined in the submitted report).  The report sets out the approaches being taken in relation to addressing those three recommendations in the time that has elapsed since the conclusion of the inspection.

Dennis Holmes, Chief Officer, Social Care Commissioning gave a brief outline of his report and responded to Members’ questions and comments.

The main areas of clarification and discussion were:-

·  Clarification on how much it is costing the Council for the work being undertaken by the independent expert in Adult Social Care.

In response, the officer informed the meeting that he did not have this information to hand but would supply this information to Board Members.

The Chair asked that that information be sent to the Principal Scrutiny Adviser who would circulate it to Board Members.

·  Clarification that confirmation in writing had been received from all the major partnership agencies as to who would be their representative on the Safeguarding Adult Partnership Board.

The Chair informed the meeting that this question had also been asked at the recent Proposals Working Group meeting where it was confirmed that the Chief Commissioning Officer had received all responses now from the partnership agencies. This was again confirmed to the Board by the Chief Commissioning Officer

·  Clarification was sought on what had been effective as a marketing strategy.

  During the first three quarters of the 2008/2009 financial year the department had received 941 adult safeguarding referrals and were projecting that in the full year 1340 safeguarding referrals would be received.  That compares with 645 received in the whole of the previous year and that represents a 108% increase in the number of referrals that had been made.  Using the number of referrals that have come into Adult Social Care as a proxy for the success of marketing and raising awareness of safeguarding issues the department thinks they have been successful in that regard.

·  Clarification was sought on whether there were a full representation at the Adult Safeguarding Board meeting on the 18^th February 2009 of all the chief partners. 

  In response, the officer informed the meeting that there were in fact two apologies as there was no representation by the nominated individuals or their deputies from the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust and from the Leeds Partnership Foundation Trust Mental Health Trust. The Chief Commissioning Officer and the Director of Adult Social Services are  meeting with all the Chief Executives of the statutory partners on the 23^rd March 2009 where they will be reinforcing once again the importance of those organisations actually attending.  It was reported that the Director of Adult Social Services had already liaised personally with the Chief Executive of the Leeds Foundation Trust and sought assurances about representation at the next Board meeting to be held on the 15^th April 2009.  The Annual Report of the Adult Safeguarding Board will publish a record of organisational attendance.

  The Chair highlighted the Proposals Working Groups disapproval that two very important partners were missing from that very first meeting.  The Chair would be writing formally to the Chair of the Adult Safeguarding Board regarding this matter.

The Board was concerned that the department’s enthusiasm to track  quality could hinder front level workers from actually doing their one to one casework.

  In response, the officer informed the meeting that it was their intention to make sure that workers on the front line do their face to face work.  Part of the department’s desire to put in place quality assurance mechanisms that would mean that the manager is quality checking.

  The Department is providing ten additional senior practitioners to reinforce front line practice to provide the capacity of front line workers to actually engage with individuals and their families where appropriate. 

·  Confirmation was sought on progress with the training of front line staff.

  In response, the officer assured the meeting that there had been a significant amount of training within the last three months since the conclusion of the inspection for a large number of staff.  The Officer informed the meeting that he would report to the Board details of the training provided.

·  The Chair indicated that she would need to be reassured that this was working and asked for an example of the checklist to be brought back to the Board.

  In response, the officer indicated that the checklist that she was referring to was the supervision checklist that was used by managers with front line workers and would make sure that it was made available to this Scrutiny Board.

·  The Chair also stated that the Board should have feedback from the March CSCI review at the April meeting to reassure the Board that the department were on target with regard to the Action Plan.

·  Members also asked that arrangements could be put in place for  Dr Margaret Flynn to attend the next Scrutiny Board to respond to Members’ questions and comments. 

The Chair thanked Officers for their attendance.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the contents of the report in relation to specific recommendations 2,   6 & 11 drawn from the Adult Independence, Wellbeing and Choice Action   Plan, be noted.

(b)  That the continuing overview of the Corporate Governance and Audit   Committee in the overview of governance and risk managements   arrangements within Adult Social Care, be noted.

 (c )  That any outstanding issues referred to above be dealt with by the officer   now identified within the minutes.