Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs D Farr and J Salmon.  Cllr J Bagwell was absent.

To receive information on any changes in the membership of the Committee.

Note – When a member of a Committee is unable to attend a meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee, the relevant Political Group Leader (or their nominated representative) may, by notice to the Monitoring Officer (or their nominated representative) prior to the meeting, appoint a substitute member from within the same Political Group. The contact details on the front of this agenda should be used for notifications.

There were no substitute members on this occasion.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

Cllr Hazel Allen declared a personal interest as an employee of University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 2025.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 19 May 2025, be confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

To check on any outstanding actions.

The action sheet was noted.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link:-

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of public questions is mid-day Tuesday 8 July 2025, 3 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a statement is midday Friday 11 2025, the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 27 June 2025, 10 working days before the meeting.

There were no public issues on this occasion.

The Chair advised that there would be a slight change to the order of the Agenda and that the Adult Social Care Fulfilled Lives Transformation programme would be the first substantive item of business considered.

In July 2024, BCP Cabinet and Full Council agreed:

1.     To support the business case for a new Adult Social Care (ASC) transformation delivery model to improve outcomes for residents and to achieve financial efficiencies and savings.

2.     Establishment of a formal Adult Social Care four-year transformation programme called Fulfilled Lives, approving in principle a total investment of up to £2.9m across the first three years.

3.     The release of an initial £1.79m was approved for the first year of the programme to facilitate mobilisation, completion of the design and scope stage, and to commence the delivery phase from January 2025.

4.     The Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee would provide regular scrutiny of progress towards benefits and sustainable change.

The programme entered its delivery phase in January 2025 and is making good progress towards implementing the necessary changes to achieve the anticipated benefits, and savings of £3.5m recurring by year four.

This report provides an update on progress with recommendations for investment in the next phase of the programme.

The Director of Adult Social Care and Head of Service/Programme Lead - Fulfilled Lives Transformation Programme presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

In July 2024, BCP Cabinet and Full Council agreed:

·       To support the business case for a new Adult Social Care (ASC) transformation delivery model to improve outcomes for residents and to achieve financial efficiencies and savings.

·       Establishment of a formal Adult Social Care four-year transformation programme called Fulfilled Lives, approving in principle a total investment of up to £2.9m across the first three years.

·       The release of an initial £1.79m was approved for the first year of the programme to facilitate mobilisation, completion of the design and scope stage, and to commence the delivery phase from January 2025.

·       The Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee would provide regular scrutiny of progress towards benefits and sustainable change.

The programme entered its delivery phase in January 2025 and was making good progress towards implementing the necessary changes to achieve the anticipated benefits, and savings of £3.5m recurring by year four.

The report provided an update on progress with recommendations for investment in the next phase of the programme.

The Committee discussed the report and responses to queries were provided, including:

·       In response to a query regarding the interface between the Future Care and Fulfilled Lives programmes, particularly regarding hospital discharge and ongoing support, the Committee was advised that the Future Care programme focused on urgent and emergency care, especially discharge processes, while Fulfilled Lives took over post-discharge with short-term, strengths-based interventions.  It was noted that the programmes were designed to work together to ensure smooth transitions and avoid duplication.

·       The Transfer of Care Hub, a multidisciplinary team, coordinated appropriate discharge pathways, aiming to return individuals home when possible.

·       Social workers applied Fulfilled Lives principles during discharge planning to ensure tailored support.

·       Examples were provided of hub conversations resolving issues at first contact, such as signposting to community resources and arranging follow-up calls.

·       The approach aimed to prevent escalation and reduce unnecessary involvement from long-term teams.

·       It was acknowledged that community-based reablement was under-resourced, and a 12-month pilot was planned to address this gap and prevent hospital admissions.

·       Early conversations were reported to reduce the time it took for individuals to access support and a request for quantitative data was requested for future updates.  ACTION.

·       The programme was described as comprehensive, data-informed, and technology-enabled, differing from previous initiatives by focusing on front-end service transformation.

·       The Three Conversations model was highlighted, emphasising listening to individuals and avoiding unnecessary service provision.

·       Concerns were raised that some individuals might overestimate their abilities, which should be considered during assessments.

·       Call wait times were reported to average 5–7 minutes, with no voicemail option currently available, though alternative contact methods were under review.

·       Feedback from service users was overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding speed of response and feeling heard.

·       Community Micro-Enterprises were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

The Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committee is asked to consider and identify work priorities for publication in a Work Plan.

The Committee was presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) Committee was asked to consider and identify work priorities for publication in a Work Plan.

The Chair, when considering the Work Plan advised the Committee of the following:

·       The items list for the September meeting were highlighted, including the Adult Social Care Prevention Strategy, prior to consideration at Cabinet.

·       The Budget Awareness item was highlighted and Committee members were asked to consider what data they would like, particularly in light of the Council’s financial pressures.  ACTION.

·       The recommendation arising from the last budget working group was highlighted regarding block-booked beds and the Chair suggested that members may wish to revisit this topic in the context of budget scrutiny.

·       Noted that Tricuro would be attending to provide an update on their business plans. Members were encouraged to think about what data they might want to request and what expectations they might wish to set, particularly regarding reablement. ACTION.

·       Mentioned that the December meeting would include an update on the Integrating Neighbourhood Teams initiative, which had been under discussion for some time. Given the rapidly evolving NHS landscape, it was considered a timely opportunity to take stock.

·       Confirmed that recurring annual reports scheduled for December included the Safeguarding Adults Annual Report and the Social Care Complaints and Quality Assurance Report.

·       Advised that the inclusion of End of Life Services on the agenda remained uncertain, depending on the readiness of officers and external colleagues to present.

·       Reflected on the committee’s previously agreed priorities and expressed hope that all would be completed by the end of the year.

·       Noted that a longer list of outstanding issues remained, including a report from University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) on the broader transformation programme. Although the committee had already reviewed clinical services, the wider transformation work was still pending.

·       Recalled that Councillor Joe Salmon had previously submitted a scrutiny request regarding the Sub-Co proposal within hospitals. A briefing had since taken place and a detailed report submitted to the Trust Board would be shared with members to reaffirm the reassurances given during the meeting.  ACTION.

·       Indicated that a review of the impact on Personal Independence Payments would not be possible in the near term, as it depended on developments in Parliament.

·       Addressed the Lifeways issue, noting that it would be more helpful to consider it within the broader context of adult social care commissioning. An informal briefing on commissioning would be delivered at the end of the meeting to provide background and context.

The Committee discussed the work plan and a Member expressed concern regarding the transformation of UHD regarding recruitment and retention of nurses.  The changes in the Dorset Integrated Care Board were highlighted and it was advised that it was a fast-moving picture, but an update would be provided when possible.

RESOLVED that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

To receive a verbal update on the impending CQC inspection.

The Director of Adult Social Care provided the Committee with a verbal update accompanied by the presentation on the impending CQC Inspection and highlighted the following:

• The timeline and process
• Feedback and results
• Some of our strengths
• What we’re working on
• Our vision – Adult Social Care Strategy
• CQC Planning Team and what they do
• Information return prep
• CQC Champions – responsibilities
• Staff involvement
• SLT presentation.

The Committee discussed the presentation, including:

·       A member expressed amazement at the depth and complexity of the work being undertaken, reflecting on their own past experience as a provider.

·       The Chair was praised for highlighting many positive developments, but a question was raised about whether there were any areas of concern or potential challenges that the Committee should be aware of.

·       Officers acknowledged that there was room for growth and committed to being open and transparent about areas needing improvement.

·       It was noted that the transformation programme aimed to reach people earlier and reduce waiting lists, which remained a challenge despite ongoing efforts and additional resources.

·       A specific area identified for improvement was the backlog of reviews for individuals under Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS). Although risk assessments were in place, the volume of cases had increased significantly following a legal judgment, while resources had not kept pace.

·       Officers confirmed that a risk tool was being used and that funding was being targeted to address this issue.

·       It was emphasised that many councils faced similar challenges in this area, and that the team had a clear plan in place.

·       Another key focus was ensuring the transformation programme delivered a stronger emphasis on short-term interventions at the front door, rather than allowing pressure to build at the back end of the system.

·       Officers acknowledged that the service was not perfect but stated that it was in a much better position than the previous year.

·       Improvements in quality, performance, and assurance were highlighted, including the establishment of an executive board chaired by the Chief Executive and attended by the Leader and Portfolio Holder.

·       The importance of maintaining momentum in these areas was stressed.

·       Safeguarding was identified as an area of ongoing concern due to its unpredictable nature, despite mitigation efforts.

·       Officers reaffirmed their commitment to continuous improvement and striving for the best possible outcomes.

The Chair thanked the Director of Adult Social Care for the update.

To receive a verbal update from the Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing.

The Portfolio Holder for Wellbeing provided the following verbal update to the Committee:

·       Continued work on the Adult Social Care Fulfilled Lives Programme and Future Care initiatives.

·       Maintained ongoing Public Health efforts and CQC inspection preparedness.

·       Attended monthly meetings with Southwest portfolio holders for Adult Social Care to discuss CQC assurance visits and shared experiences.

·       Monitored financial outturn across the Well-being Directorate:

·       Final outturn for Adult Social Care showed a £19,000 underspend on a £125 million budget.

·       Commissioning achieved a £707,000 underspend.

·       Cabinet report detailing financial performance was prepared for review.

·       Participated in the Adult Social Care Prevention Event in late May:

·       Engaged with staff, partners, and voluntary sector.

·       Emphasised the importance of intentional and cross-council preventative work.

·       Took part in National Care Home Open Week in June:

·       Visited a local care home, interacted with residents, and gained insights into care pathways.

·       Highlighted the need for better public awareness of social care access routes.

·       Attended the Public Health Assurance Visit at the end of June:

·       Hosted the Regional Director of Public Health.

·       Received positive feedback and assurance on public health grant usage.

·       Engaged in collaborative discussions and shared best practices.

·       Participated in the Learning Disability Partnership Board meeting:

·       Collaborated with staff, individuals with learning disabilities, and families.

·       Contributed to the co-production of a revised “Big Plan” focused on continuous service improvement.

·       Prepared for the Integrated Care Partnership meeting scheduled for Thursday:

·       Discussed potential changes due to the 10-Year Plan and implications for health and well-being governance structures.

·       Scheduled a visit to the Lifeline team to explore care technology services and equipment demonstrations.

·       Confirmed that the Adult Social Care Fulfilled Lives report would be presented to Cabinet on Wednesday.

·       Noted that the Corporate Director for Well-being post had been advertised, with recruitment progressing over the coming months.

In response to questions to the Portfolio Holder, the Committee was advised that there were no plans to reopen the Highcliffe Day Centre, however it was noted that the building was being utilised as a preschool.

The Chair thanked the Portfolio Holder for the update.