Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Adults and Health informing of the outcomes from the further consultation which has been undertaken on this issue, and which seeks approval of a series of proposed revisions to the service.

Further to Minute No. 20, 27^th June 2018, the Director of Adults and Health submitted a report presenting the outcomes from the further consultation which had been undertaken on the community based respite service, and in light of such consultation sought approval for a series of proposed revisions to the service.

Responding to a Member’s enquiry, the Board was advised that the £40,000 non-recurrent investment to the ‘Carers Leeds’ organisation, as referenced within the submitted report, was to be made available next year also.  In addition, Members also received further information on the nature and benefit of the one-off payments to carers of up to £200 as a contribution towards the increased costs of caring over the winter months.

Also, Members received further information on the actions which would be taken to provide help and guidance to those who under the proposals would be charged an amount which they were assessed as being able to afford, or to those who did not want to pay a charge at all.

Finally, the Board paid tribute to the vital role which was played by carers throughout the city.

RESOLVED –

(a)  That the outcome of the associated consultation undertaken be noted, with the potential impact on current customers of the community based respite services arising from the proposed changes being implemented also being noted;

(b)  That the following be approved from commencement in April 2019:

(i)  Access to the commissioned community based short break service will be via a needs assessment or carers’ assessment as laid out in the Care and Support (Assessment) Regulations 2014, and will be prioritised for people who meet the eligibility criteria for care and support as laid out in Care and Support (Eligibility Criteria) Regulations 2014;

(ii)  The person with care needs will be charged the amount they are assessed as being able to afford as laid out in the Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014;

(iii)  People who are deemed not to have eligible needs will be supported to find other ways to have a break;

(iv)  That the name of the service be changed to the ‘Community Based Short Break Service’;

(c)  That approval be given to the following:

(i)  That an investment of a further £170k per annum be added to the contract value of the community-based respite service thereby providing an additional 11,296 hours of support per year/ 217 hours per week;

(ii)  That a further investment of £30K be made for Tier 2 Targeted Short Break services.

(d)  That the following be noted:

(i)  That an investment of £40k on a non-recurrent basis will be made to Carers Leeds to provide: (a) £8845 for additional carer support worker capacity at Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust over the winter period; and (b) £31,155 to provide a one-off payment to carers of up to £200 as a contribution to increased costs of caring over the winter months;

(ii)  That the Director of Adults and Health is responsible for the implementation of such matters.