Council HEALTH AND ADULT SOCIAL CARE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

18 February 2010 5:00 pm to 7:15 pm RECORD OF THE MEETING

PRESENT: Councillors Avey Committee members: Councillors Avey, Bhutia, Gilry, Val Goulden, Gulvin, Hewett, Kemp, Maisey, Murray and O'Brien (Chairman) Co-opted members: Shirley Griffiths, LINk Co-ordinator Substitute members: Councillor Kenneth Bamber (for Councillor Griffin) Councillor Smith (for Councillor Sheila Kearney) Councillor Harriott (for Councillor Shaw) In attendance: Elizabeth Benjamin, Lawyer Rose Collinson, Director of Children and Adults Marion Dinwoodie, Chief Executive, NHS Medway Rosie Gunstone, Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator Lois Howell, Company Secretary, Medway NHS Foundation Trust Preeya Madhoo, Performance Manager, Adults Councillor Mason, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care David Quirke-Thornton, Assistant Director, Adult Social Care

616 RECORDS OF MEETINGS The records of the meetings held on 5 November 2009 and 21 January 2010 were agreed as correct records.

This record is available on our website - www.medway.gov.uk 617 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Griffin, Sheila Griffin and Shaw.

618 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST The Chairman, Councillor O’Brien, declared a personal interest in any reference to the NHS by virtue of the fact that members of his family work within the NHS.

Councillor Gilry declared a personal interest in any reference to Medway Maritime Hospital by virtue of the fact that she occasionally works there.

Shirley Griffiths, LINk Co-ordinator, declared a personal interest in all items by virtue of being a member of Medway NHS Foundation Trust, a member of South East Coast Ambulance Trust and Medway Older People’s Board.

619 WORK PROGRAMME Discussion: The Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator introduced the work programme and responded to Members’ questions.

With regard to the briefing on 8 April 2010 by the Chief Executive of NHS Medway the Chairman requested a timeline on that evening of the full consultation process of service developments and substantial variations flowing from the Storm events held by NHS Medway and the Strategic Commissioning Plan. He also requested a date for consultation on the transforming community services item, to ensure there was full engagement with the Committee prior to any decision being taken. In the absence of the Chief Executive of NHS Medway at this stage in the meeting the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator was requested to convey the Committee’s request to her after the meeting.

She mentioned that there was one item on the Cabinet forward plan not currently scheduled for this Committee, which was the Health and Wellbeing Strategy. Members agreed to add this to the work programme for 3 June 2010.

This record is available on our website - www.medway.gov.uk Health and Adult Social Care, 18 February 2010

The Chairman expressed concern that in spite of the signing of a protocol last year in relation to formal consultation with the Committee, that no Trust in Medway had yet consulted on any service development or substantial variation.

In relation to the update on the hydrotherapy pool Christine Baker from Medway Pensioners Forum handed a petition to the Chairman for submission to the next Council meeting.

A suggestion was then made that the topic of mental health should be added to the work programme for a future meeting of the Committee and this was agreed.

With regard to the Member task group to work with officers prior to the 23 March 2010 meeting relating to carers Councillors Avey, Gilry, Gulvin and Sheila Kearney were nominated.

A comment was made that the meeting on 23 March 2010 will clash with a meeting of Rural Liaison Committee. The Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator pointed out that the date for the Committee to meet had been agreed when the schedule of meetings had been put together.

Decision: (a) It was noted that there would be an informal evening briefing with the Chief Executive and officers from NHS Medway on the following topics on 8 April 2010:

• Strategic Commissioning Plan

• Operating Plan

• Transforming Community Services

The Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator was requested to ask the Chief Executive of NHS Medway to ensure that a timeline for official consultation with the Committee around issues flowing from the Storm events, the Strategic Commissioning Plan and about transforming community services to ensure consultation prior to any decision being taken;. (b) Members noted progress with relation to the health effects of telecommunication masts;

This record is available on our website - www.medway.gov.uk Health and Adult Social Care, 18 February 2010

(c) Delegated authority was granted for the Head of Democratic Services in conjunction with the Chairman and spokespersons of the Committee to devise a response to the NHS consultation in relation to car parking charges; (d) A task group was set up comprising Councillors Avey, Gilry, Gulvin and Sheila Kearney to work with officers in the next few weeks on gathering further evidence on best practice, setting key lines of enquiry and holding small informal discussions with carers with a view to reporting to the meeting on 23 March 2010; (e) The scope and suggested way forward for 23 March 2010 meeting as set out in paragraph 8.3 of the report was agreed; (f) Delegated authority was granted for the Head of Democratic Services to work with the Chairman and spokespersons of the Committee to nominate a list of attendees for the regional scrutiny event on 1 April 2010 in Crawley; (g) The topic of mental health was added to the work programme on a date to be agreed; (h) It was noted that the Health and Wellbeing Strategy would be considered at the 3 June 2010 meeting of this Committee.

620 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF ADULT SOCIAL CARE Discussion: The Assistant Director, Adult Social Care, introduced the annual performance assessment of adult social care and stated that he was pleased to say that the Council had been awarded a three star rating which meant the service consistently delivered above minimum requirements for people, was cost effective and made contributions to wider outcomes for the community.

In response to a question he stated that the Care Quality Commission would regulate all NHS Trusts with effect from April 2011.

He then drew Members’ attention to the fact that mental health had been singled out as needing further attention not just the aspects relating to the care provided by and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) but also in the wider sense in relation to housing, social care support, employment issues and supporting independence more generally.

This record is available on our website - www.medway.gov.uk Health and Adult Social Care, 18 February 2010

Following a question about the future of `A’ block at Medway Maritime Hospital (the part of the hospital which hosted the acute mental health beds) the Company Secretary of Medway NHS Foundation Trust stated that she did not know any details regarding the future of the block other than the fact that KMPT had not formally indicated to the Foundation Trust (the owner of the building) that it wished to vacate the premises. Subsequently the Chief Executive of NHS Medway stated that a full review of mental health beds was being undertaken following a joint strategic needs assessment of mental health in Medway. This had gone through a number of phases already but in response to a request by the Chairman she guaranteed to have a full dialogue with the Committee about the review in the final phase.

Discussion then took place about methods to engage with the public and the Assistant Director, Adult Social Care, stated that the Council was working with partners such as NHS Medway about the best way to reach people. He also referred to the Institute of Public Care at Oxford Brookes University which had undertaken research on this topic and devised a method where they engaged with people from the age of 50 + and asked them to picture their lives in five year stages. The idea of this was to encourage them to think of the sort of services they would like to receive later in their lives.

A suggestion was made that more use could be made of sheltered housing, including Medway Council sheltered housing, as a venue where engagement could take place.

Decision: Members noted the report and the update on `A’ block and noted they would receive further details of the timetable for the consultation on the review and redesign of mental health beds in Medway and Swale once it was ready.

621 COUNCIL PLAN MONITORING THIRD QUARTER Discussion: The Performance Manager, Adults, introduced the Council Plan monitoring report for the third quarter of 2009-2010 and handed round to the Committee an updated appendix. She referred to the individual National Indicators and pointed out those that were meeting national

This record is available on our website - www.medway.gov.uk Health and Adult Social Care, 18 February 2010 targets but not local ones on the basis that the Council had set some challenging targets.

Responding to a query about NI 131 L `Number of service users whose delayed transfer of care was attributable to social care’, the Assistant Director, Adult Social Care, stated that measures were being put in place to assist with the target such as the use of Platters Farm to offer intermediate care. The Chief Executive of NHS Medway stated that the measures put in place were a good example of the way in which the various agencies were working together to avoid people being taken to hospital unnecessarily.

Discussion took place about NI 8 `adult participation in sport and active recreation’ and the Assistant Director, Adult Social Care, confirmed that although he agreed that the method of calculating the participation level was flawed this was a target which the Council had to include.

In reply to a query the Director of Children and Adults confirmed that the briefing note relating to supporting people contracts would be with the Committee shortly.

The comment was made concerning assisting people to remain in their homes that this was not actually what everyone wanted and she referred to a particular case where she felt the person would have benefited from residential care rather than being returned home from hospital.

The Assistant Director, Adult Social Care, stated that the idea was to offer a range of choices to people. He also stated that with effect from April 2010 the Council would be obliged statutorily to provide guidance and information to all older people about their choices.

The Chairman reminded the Committee about the steps being taken to implement extra care housing.

In relation to NI 135 `carers receiving needs assessment or review and a specific carer’s service, or advice and information’, it was stated that alternative measures were being considered to assist with the target such as the possibility of using the voluntary sector to undertake carers’

This record is available on our website - www.medway.gov.uk Health and Adult Social Care, 18 February 2010

assessments on behalf of the Council. The importance of full information being available about services for carers was stressed. A request was made for details of feedback from carers about the service they receive.

The Chairman pointed out that the meeting of the Committee on 23 March 2010 would be an opportunity to air the topic of support for carers and he encouraged the LINk Co-ordinator to make sure that she invited as many carers as possible to the meeting.

Decision: The report and the action points were noted.

622 ATTENDANCE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDER - ADULT SOCIAL CARE Discussion: The Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care addressed the Committee on main achievements under his portfolio. In particular in relation to:

• The successful appointment of the new Assistant Director, Adult Social Care

• Performance relating to the Care Quality Commission annual performance assessment of adult social care

• Fair Access to Care

• The transformation agenda in particular relating to personalisation

• Partnership working with the NHS

• The Carers’ Strategy, Carers’ helpline and Carers’ Partnership Board

• Positive Ageing Plan

• Extra Care Housing

• Services for people with physical and learning disabilities

• Telecare and telemedicine

This record is available on our website - www.medway.gov.uk Health and Adult Social Care, 18 February 2010

• The Launch of Better Medway

• His personal ideas in relation to a scheme whereby retired people could teach practical skills to children who were struggling with academic studies

He was then questioned in relation to the above and:

• The use made of the £500,000 to assist those who had moderate needs and whether this would be extended into the next year’s budget

• The Member item relating to Celebrating Age Festival

• New legislation proposed relating to care for the elderly – Personal Care at Home Bill 2009 and its implications.

Decision: The Director of Children and Adults undertook to provide Members with further details about expenditure and take up of the £500,000 to assist people no longer entitled to services under the new rules adopted under Fair Access to Care.

623 MEMBER ITEM - CELEBRATING AGE FESTIVAL Councillor Murray handed round further details of the Celebrating Age Festivals, which had taken place in other areas of the country. She then encouraged Members of the Committee to support the idea of celebrating age. She stated that all too often the image of older people becoming a burden and a cost to society was portrayed and she was keen to promote a far more positive image by encouraging the Council to hold a similar festival to those held in other authorities. She explained the intentions behind the festival held in and stated that there had been further positive outcomes flowing from that event such as a reduction in cost for older people accessing cultural events, in addition to their normal reductions.

Some Members felt that the concept of segregating older people from the rest of the community was not helpful and that it was far better to allow older people to choose the type of leisure activity they preferred

This record is available on our website - www.medway.gov.uk Health and Adult Social Care, 18 February 2010

rather than the Council suggesting something they should participate in. The point was made that integrating with younger people was a better way forward and kept people young.

Discussion then took place about the Villager bus used on the Peninsula that had been particularly helpful in allowing older people there to access whatever they wished. Shirley Griffiths referred to events organised by Medway Pensioners Forum, which had been achieved using sponsorship funding.

Christine Baker, Medway Pensioners Forum, stated that there were fewer events for more active older people. However, the Forum was keen to retain their links with Medway Youth Parliament and not to become segregated.

In discussing the potential cost of such a festival, Councillor Murray stated that had contributed an initial £150,000 towards the event, which was a start up figure and would reduce to £50,000 in subsequent years. The Director of Children and Adults stated that possibly there was more work to be done to raise the profile of older people in the way that the profile of younger people had been raised. A large amount was already being done but may not be promoted as positively as it could be.

Some Members of the Committee felt that there were other ways of raising the profile of older people in the community more positively that could be considered, particularly bearing in mind that the budget for this year had already been set. However, Members of the Labour group requested that it be recorded that they did not agree with this.

Chairman Date

Rosie Gunstone Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator

Telephone: 01634 332715 Email: [email protected]

This record is available on our website - www.medway.gov.uk