Agenda item
Modernisation of Direct Services
The reasons for the call-in are:-
· to review the plans of the consultation
· to receive a fuller explanation and review of the Policy direction in relation to improving access to mainstream services.
The Executive report is attached. The Lead Member and Lead Officer are invited to the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.
Minutes:
The reasons for the call-in were:-
· to review the plans of the consultation
· to receive a fuller explanation and review of the Policy direction in relation to improving access to mainstream services.
Councillor R Moher (Lead Member for Adults, Health and Social Care) introduced the report and stated that there was a clear plan consultation plan to be undertaken which would include consulting the service users, their carers and staff.
During Members’ discussion, Councillor Lorber commented that there was concern that the consultation period was commencing in August when many people may be on their summer holidays and he asked if each consultation meeting would be all inclusive or targeted at particular groups. He also enquired whether the proposals intended to provide more than one Day Centre. Councillor Van Kalwala commented that he hoped there would be no undue delay in implementing any changes to services as the transition period could be particularly stressful to users. With regard to the general move to providing personalisation for users, he enquired what support would be given to those undergoing this, and what assurances could be given to users who were highly dependent and where personalisation was not appropriate. He also enquired what support would be given to carers. Councillor Hirani asked why the process of personalisation for users was taking so long and he suggested that the Council was lagging behind Harrow Council in this respect.
The Chair sought details with regard to timescales for the consultation and how was it intended to improve access for those with disabilities to mainstream services and in what ways would uptake be monitored. He enquired about the general policy direction of Direct Services and how this had been decided.
In reply to the issues raised, Alison Elliott (Assistant Director – Community Care, Housing and Community Care) confirmed that the consultation period for the Day Opportunities Strategy commenced on 2 August 2010 and would continue for a 12 week period. The consultation would involve meetings with Day Services users, their carers and staff throughout August, September and October. The users would meet on different days to help facilitate them participating fully in the consultation. It was anticipated that a report with proposals following the outcome of the consultation would be considered at the 15 November 2010 meeting of the Executive. The consultation would focus on the Disability Service and the relocation of the Albert Road Day Centre to John Billam Playing Fields. The consultation would also allow views to be expressed with regards to the number of Day Centres that would operate in the Borough in the future. With regard to the policy, Alison Elliot advised that its direction of travel reflected that of the national policy towards personalisation and providing more choice and independence for users by providing them with individual budgets. Steps would also be taken to make it easier for users to have access to services that the rest of the community take for granted, for example WC facilities, and other universal community facilities. The Council was looking at various ways it could support those with disabilities to access these services and uptake of this would be monitored and support plans drawn up to assist access to mainstream services. The policy stemmed from the Government’s decision in 2007 to set a personalisation agenda and a number of policy guidance papers had subsequently been issued which provided the basis by which the Adult Social Care Transformation was taking place. Members noted that the personalisation agenda for people with disabilities was supported by the present Government.
Alison Elliot advised that carers would also be supported. Members noted that the Council was one of the leading London boroughs in introducing personalisation, however it also recognised that providing more traditional services was not sustainable, although some users would need considerable support to move to personalisation.
Councillor R Moher added that a fundamental objective of personalisation was to provide users with choices and to then support them once they had selected their preferences. The Select Committee heard that consultation on personalisation had initially been carried out two years previously and there were a number of some users who were benefitting from their own personalisation programmes. It was also noted that use of Day Centres was comparatively low.
RESOLVED:-
that upon considering the report from the Director of Housing and Community Care, the decisions made by the Executive be noted.
Supporting documents:
- 100726-h&cc-direct-services-review v7, item 4a PDF 98 KB
- 100726-h&cc-direct-services-review-app1-v7, item 4a PDF 438 KB