Agenda item

To consider a report of the Director of Adult Social Services updating Members on the programme of work development by Adult Social Care to progress and implement the recommendations of Executive Board on the future requirements of older people’s residential and day care services, agreed on 15^th September 2010

(report attached)

The Director of Adult Social Services submitted a report updating Members on the programme of work by Adult Social Care to progress and implement the recommendations of Executive Board on the future requirements of older people’s residential and day care services, agreed on 15 December 2010.

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

• Option Appraisal Outcome Schedule – at a glance (Appendix 1 refers)
• Older People’s Futures; Residential and day care services (Appendix 2 refers)

The following representatives were in attendance for this item:

·  Councillor Lucinda Yeadon – Executive Board Member for Adult Health and Social Care – Leeds City Council

·  Dennis Holmes (Deputy Director Strategic Commissioning) – Leeds City Council, Adult Social Services

The Deputy Director Strategic Commissioning presented the key issues highlighted in the report and addressed specific points of clarification identified by the Scrutiny Board.

The Executive Member for Adult Health and Social Care outlined that in considering the provision of residential and day care services, account should be taken of the assessment process and subsequent eligibility criteria used by the Council. It was highlighted that since 2006, the Council provided services to those individuals assessed as having substantial and critical needs (using the nationally produced Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) guidance).  Before 2006 the Council had provided services to a wider group of people.  This was in contrast to a number of other local authorities that provided services to meet critical needs only.  It was also highlighted that the Council continued to make significant investments in the Third Sector, aimed at providing preventative services and addressing the social needs of older people.

Members of the Board discussed and queried service user access / requests for access to residential and day care services.  The Deputy Director Strategic Commissioning reinforced that assessments were made on an individual’s needs and were not on the basis of accessing specific services, such as residential and/or day care services.  Once an individual’s needs had been assessed, the most appropriate services to meet those needs would be identified. This may include residential or day care services if appropriate, but may equally include other care / support services.

There was some discussion around recent occupancy levels / trends across the Council’s residential care homes and the impact of increased levels of Direct Payments in lieu of directly provided services.  It was suggested that such information might usefully be provided to the working group (established under the previous agenda item).

RESOLVED –

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

b)  That the Deputy Director Strategic Commissioning be requested to provide details of the:

(i)  Council’s current assessment /eligibility criteria;

(ii)  Current level/ trend of Direct Payments; and,

(iii) Current occupancy levels/ trends within the Council’s residential care homes

 (Councillor A Hussain left the meeting at 11.55am during discussions of the above item)

(Councillor G Wilkinson left the meeting at 12 noon during discussions of the above item)

(Councillor W Hyde left the meeting at 12.05pm during discussions of the above item)