The Director of Adult Social Services submitted a report presenting the outcomes from the associated consultation exercise which was agreed to be undertaken by Executive Board on 23rd September 2015 (Minute No. 40 referred), and which sought approval of the next steps for the delivery of the Better Lives Strategy.
In presenting the report, the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adults thanked all of those who had participated in the associated consultation process, with specific reference to the contribution of the Scrutiny Board (Adult Social Services, Public Health and NHS), partners, stakeholders, Trade Unions, service users and their families, and highlighted how the original proposals had been revised in response to the contributions made.
In addition, detail was provided upon the submitted proposals, which looked to modernise the type of social care that was provided in Leeds, unlock sites for extra care and also enhance intermediate care and complex care provision. The focus that was being placed upon improving the quality of service provided within the private sector was also highlighted.
Members then discussed the key proposals detailed within the report, and with respect to specific enquiries raised around the decommissioning of certain services, the Board was provided with detailed responses to such enquiries.
Linked to this, Members also discussed the evolving nature of social care provision in the city, with specific reference being made to the role played by the Council, Neighbourhood Networks and private sector providers. The Board also considered matters regarding capacity and quality levels of social care provision, with specific reference being made to the surplus of residential care in the city and the demand which existed for extra care housing. Responding to such comments, emphasis was placed upon the vital role to be played by extra care housing in the future, whilst also, officers undertook to provide Board Members with further details regarding the over-supply of residential care units in the city.
In response to a specific enquiry regarding the content of correspondence which had been received by some service users, it was undertaken that the content of such communications would be reviewed.
Also, given the significant nature of this matter, it was requested that Members were provided with the opportunity to comment upon this matter at the next scheduled Council meeting. In response, it was undertaken that this request, and the portfolio order by which the Executive Board minutes would be considered at the November Council meeting would be submitted to the Group Whips for consideration.
Furthermore, the Board received assurances that the priority for providing any affected service users with alternative provision would be to accommodate the choices of the individual, and that they would be guaranteed to receive a level of provision which was at least equal in quantum and to the standard of their current provision, if not better. In addition, it was highlighted however that should an individual choose provision that was rated less than their current standard, then where appropriate, checks may be undertaken in order to ensure that that choice was in the individual’s best interest.
In addition, assurances were also provided around the personal support that service users and their families would be given during any transition process by the Assessment and Transfer Team.
In conclusion, the Chair highlighted the need for the Council to continue to lobby Government on a cross-party basis, in order to highlight the level of resource that the Local Authority needed in order to ensure that there was the necessary levels of social care provision in the city.
RESOLVED –
(a) That the decommissioning of the services provided at: Middlecross, Siegen Manor and The Green residential care homes, be approved;
(b) That the decommissioning of the services provided at: Middlecross, Siegen Manor, The Green, Springfield and Radcliffe Lane Day Centres, be approved;
(c) That the timescales for ceasing those services, based on the timeline as detailed within Appendix 3 to the submitted report, be agreed;
(d) That the remodelling of Wykebeck Valley day centre to become a complex needs centre for the east of the city, taking a phased approach to accommodate the needs of existing and future customers, be approved;
(e) That approval be given to the reinvestment of £0.111m from the planned savings, in order to ensure that Wykebeck can offer an enhanced service like Laurel Bank and Calverlands complex needs day centres;
(f) That approval be given for the Siegen Manor site to be ear-marked for the purposes of exploring the potential to develop it for the provision of extra care housing;
(g) That the development of a city-wide in-house integrated recovery service, comprised of Assisted Living Leeds, the SkILs enablement service and a bed-based offer to support the wider Leeds Intermediate Care Strategy, be approved, and that it be agreed that this service should be called the ‘Leeds Recovery Service’;
(h) That approval be given for The Green to be retained as a community asset for intermediate care / recovery beds, subject to discussion and agreement with NHS commissioners, with a further report being presented to Executive Board for consideration when associated discussions have concluded;
(i) That the outcome of the full consultation reports with stakeholders, including residents, service users, their families and carers, Trade Union, staff and Scrutiny Board, as detailed at Appendices 1 and 2 to the submitted report, be noted;
(j) That the immediate decommissioning of the services provided at Manorfield House residential home, together with the assessment and transfer process of residents, be noted;
(k) That the continued formal consultation under Employment Legislation with Trade Unions and staff be noted, together with the provision of support for staff throughout the decommissioning process which includes identifying any opportunities for employment within the Council;
(l) That the development of alternative models of support, including those provided in the independent sector and by other in-house services, be noted;
(m) That it be noted that the commissioned service Bay Tree Resource Centre in Moor Allerton also offers a choice of day support for people with complex needs including dementia;
(n) That the continued work via the Housing and Care Futures programme to identify potential future use of the sites that become available as a result of the implementation of such proposals and resolutions be noted, which include the opportunity for further development of specialised older people accommodation, including extra care housing;
(o) That it be noted that the lead officer responsible for implementation of such matters is the Director of Adult Social Services.
(Under the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 16.5, Councillor A Carter required it to be recorded that he abstained from voting on the decisions referred to within this minute, whilst under the same provisions Councillor Golton required it to be recorded that he voted against the decisions referred to within this minute)