Issue - meetings

To reflect the shift towards independence and personalisation within Adult Social Care a review of all services is being undertaken to ensure services are appropriate and sustainable. Given the changing environment and the need for efficiency savings by the Council across Mental Health and the wider organisation a plan to decommission the Community Networks Day Care Service has been proposed. Community Networks provides Day Care to approximately 175 mental health clients in the Brent Borough.

(i)         that approval be given to the proposal that the Community Networks Day Care Service be decommissioned and that two in house Support Worker posts be created. These posts will work in Community Services and will develop knowledge of the private and voluntary sector resources available within Brent to which service users requiring day activities can be signposted;

(ii)        that approval be given to a 12 week consultation period, with a further report to be submitted to the Executive in March 2011.

Councillor R Moher (Lead Member, Adults, Health and Social Care) introduced the report which recommended that the Community Networks Day Care Service be decommissioned. Community Networks provided day care to approximately 175 mental health clients in the borough and the proposal was to create in-house support worker posts who would direct service users to appropriate day activities either with the Community Networks Day Care Service or the voluntary sector. There would be a period of consultation. Councillor Moher referred to the associated risks and benefits and added that while this change was reflective of the shift towards independence and personalisation within Adult Social Care, it may not have been considered at this time were it not for the need for the council to make financial savings.

RESOLVED:-

(i)         that approval be given to the proposal that the Community Networks Day Care Service be decommissioned and that two in-house support worker posts be created to work in Community Services and develop knowledge of the private and voluntary sector resources available within Brent to which service users requiring day activities could be signposted;

(ii)        that approval be given to a 12 week consultation period, with a further report to be submitted to the Executive in March 2011.