Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

There were no apologies for absence for this meeting.

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 for this meeting.

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.

Councillors made the following declarations of interest:

Cllr H Allen declared, for transparency, that she is employed by the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Cllr C Johnson declared, for transparency, that she is employed by the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting on 27 July 2020.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 July 2020 were confirmed as a correct and accurate record.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution, which 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 a public question is 4 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a public statement is midday the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 days before the meeting

There were no public questions, statements or petitions received for this meeting.

To note and comment as required on the action sheet which tracks decisions, actions and outcomes arising from previous Committee meetings.

An update was provided on minute number 59 of the Action Sheet. The Committee were informed that due to COVID19 and the interim constitutional arrangements, participation at a Council meeting could not be facilitated for external participants. Therefore, an all-member seminar session, conducted by the People First Forum, was being arranged. The session would provide information to Councillors on the People First Forum’s Bill of Rights Charter and adults living with a learning disability in the BCP conurbation.

Following this update, the action sheet was noted and there were no further comments.

In addition to the summary of actions taken since the Committee’s previous meeting, the Portfolio Holder for Adults gave an update on work she had undertaken. The main points of the update were as follows:

·       A seminar on the local outbreak management plan had been held for all Councilllors and provided a clear brief on the plan.

·       Health and Wellbeing Board met in September and discussed a range of issues including the Safe and Well Checks.

·       The Joint Safeguarding Adults Board met in September following a huge amount of work completed to improve joined up working between all of the wide-ranging partnerships.

·       The Adult Lead Members for South West Board’s Quarterly meeting took place and provided a great insight into how other Councils are handling the COVID19 pandemic. Discussions varied from good practice, preparations for a second wave and also the impact of Brexit on Council services.

·       The Tricuro executive shareholder group have met several times throughout this period, focusing on arrangements for a new chief executive.

There were no questions following the Portfolio Holder’s update.

To receive an update from the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on the delivery of the Health Check programme for people with a learning disability.

The Committee received an update on the delivery of the Health Check programme from the Head of Service (Mental Health & Learning Disabilities) for NHS Dorset CCG.

Members heard that the programme, which is a key feature in the NHS’ Long Term Plan and also features within the local Dorset Learning Disabilities and Autism plan, had been impacted by COVID19 and that there were challenges faced in its delivery.

The Committee heard that 2000 annual healthchecks were completed last year, which accounted for 54% in Dorset and 60% in BCP. Members were told that this was not the level desired by the service but that figures are moving in the right direction.

Conducting healthchecks has been highlighted as a priority within the Phase 3 recovery process across the whole of the NHS. A target of 67% completion rate has been set for end of the current financial year and a further target of 75% is set for the end of long-term plan.

Quarter one, which was the main period affected by COVID19, saw 123 healthchecks conducted, with 73 of these taking place in the BCP area. Priority work had been undertaken for the Phase 3 recovery process and a trajectory to achieve a 67% threshold of completed checks has been set.

Work was also being done closely with GP Practices to increase the number of healthchecks that are completed. Furthermore, within the development of the local Primary Care Networks, several PCNs have highlighted annual healthchecks as a local priority and have added them to their local improvement plans. Several stakeholders have also been engaged, including Healthwatch and the People First Forum, to gain support from primary care and support the programme in delivering its aim.

Members were informed that data was an important part of overseeing annual healthchecks and that the CCG intelligence team had been helping to development this approach alongside a task and finish group which ties in with the local quality improvement plan.

An important factor that was highlighted was continuing to build relationships with different Learning Disability teams within the community and linking in with Public Health Dorset to provide positive steps for service users for healthy living.

Work had been scheduled to build a help platform for GPs to share good practice experiences. Members heard that some practices had different approaches to healthchecks and that it would be beneficial to achieve consistency based on good practice. It was also heard that healthchecks could also be combined with flu vaccinations and that the ongoing principle of encourage people with learning disabilities to access primary care for healthchecks and to use the Yellow Book would continue.

Several questions were asked by members and included whether the projections following Quarter One were too optimistic due to the risk of a second wave. The Head of Service (Mental Health & Learning Disabilities) for NHS Dorset CCG agreed that the projections were optimistic however hard work had and would continue to be undertaken to achieve these figures. Contextual information was provided  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.

To receive an update on the progress of objectives in 2019-20 and an outline of the overarching aims of the Board for 2020-22 and how the Board plan to achieve these, whilst acknowledging the effect the coronavirus pandemic may have on partner agencies’ ability to contribute to the plan.

The Committee received an update on the progress of the Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) objectives 2019-20, a summary of the overarching aims of the Board for 2020-22, an explanation of how the Board plan to achieve said aims and how the coronavirus pandemic may impact partner agencies’ ability to contribute to the plan.

The Independent Chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board began by summarizing the independent report that the Board commissioned from an external consultant. The primary aim of the review was to aid in evolving the governance structures of safeguarding. The commissioner was an Ofsted examiner and gave an overall positive update.

Members heard that the highlights of the report included:

•         The Work of subgroups was deemed to be very useful.

•         The SAB’s policy and procedures, which are updated every year, were positive.

•         The reviews follow up process and the action plans for learning were complimented.

•         The Board could improve their ‘Line of Sight’ to understand actual performance better on a day to day basis.

•         Meeting structures were causing duplication and overlap.

The Commissioner did not suggest a specific, new governance model, but the report showed that an overarching governance structure was required to strengthen safeguarding action. This would enable strategic planning to take place and allow staff to work better across the different themed areas of work. Domestic abuse was an issue that highlighted the need for better strategic planning to take place and reviews in the past suggested the need to integrate better and provide more support for individuals facing safeguarding issues. The overall message was that the SAB needed to continue to work harder on connecting on work across partnerships.

COVID 19 doesn’t feature in this report as it was looming at time this report was undertaken but the Committee heard that the SAB keep in contact with providers and voluntary sector agencies to enable them to contribute to the business plan. A successful event informed providers and voluntary sector agencies on liberty protection safeguards as well providing information on how to help vulnerable people to build healthy relationships.

The Committee heard that a Safeguarding Adults Review had also been undertaken and was published March 2019. A main aim was to disseminate the information more widely and communicate to providers how best to support people with a Learning Disability. The SAB ran a forum for service users looking at issues on personal safety for people who are vulnerable.

The Committee asked several questions on this update. One member asked how far the Keeping Adults Safe leaflet was circulated and whether it also featured on other media formats. The Committee were told that the information was available on the SAB website, had been shared widely with Council partner organisations and that work alongside the People First Forum had delivered an easy read version of the findings.

A question was posed on the findings data being difficult to interpret. The Independent Chair of the SAB explained that there would be more work done  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88.

To consider the proposed single charging policy and the recommendations of the Adult Social Care Charging Policy Working Group.

The Head of Adult Social Care presented the report and began by explaining the context of this piece of work. Members were reminded that there were three legacy charging policies for Adult Social Care across BCP and that the decision to harmonise these charges centred on the principles of equity for all residents and full cost recovery. The Head of Strategic Development & Change Management informed the Committee of the charging assessment process and how said process determines the charge a user will be required to pay towards their social care. Members were reassured that a proposed mitigation in the case of certain, extreme situations would be for the Head of Adult Services to wave the charges.

Members then head from the Principal Research Officer for Organisational Development on the outcome of the public consultation to which 3000 service users, carers and other stakeholders provided feedback.

The Lead Member of the Adult Social Care Charging Policy Working Group gave an update on the Group’s final meeting. Highlights from the meeting included questions on consultation responses, simplification of language, combination of transport charges and day centre charges, delays to implementation of policy and mitigating factors. The Committee heard that the Working Group provided test and challenge to the development of the policy and endorsed the recommendations of the officers.

The Committee considered the proposed single charging policy and the recommendations of the Adult Social Care Charging Policy Working Group before voting on the individual recommendations contained with the report.

RESOLVED that each of the recommendations, contained within the Officer’s report be approved. The recommendations are as follows:

(a) The findings of the consultation are noted and commented on.

(b) Committee recommend to Cabinet that the new Adult Social Care Charging policy is approved.

(c) Committee support the use of mitigation measures which assist clients when moving to new charging arrangements as set out in paragraphs 17 to 21 of the report.

To consider and amend the Committee’s Forward Plan as appropriate.

The Committee considered the Forward Plan and the following requests were made:

·       H Allen asked for an update to come to Committee in 6 months’ time, following implementation of the Adult Social Care Charging Strategy.

·       J Edwards requested an update on GP services response to COVID19 to which theDirector of Primary and Community Care, NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group explained that this could be included in the Winter Response item at the Committee’s next meeting.

·       The Chair requested that scrutiny of Tricuro be added to the Forward Plan for the next meeting with the suggestion that members of the O&S Board be invited as the item may cover the remit of both bodies.

·       Cllr H Allen suggested that the item on scrutiny of Health services for people who are Homeless and Rough Sleeping be considered at Committee in the New Year or early Spring 2021.

RESOLVED that the Forward Plan was agreed and approved by the Committee.