To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 13 June 2011 and to note actions taken since that meeting.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting of the Social Care, Health and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 13 June 2011 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive from Members any declarations and the nature thereof in relation to:-

(a)    personal interests in any agenda item

(b)    personal and prejudicial interests in any agenda item

(c)     any political whip in relation to any agenda item.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and any matters of communication.

The Chairman informed the Committee that she had included timings against items on the agenda as a guide for Members and officers.

The Chairman announced that at the request of a Member, the Assistant Director, Housing Services would be arranging briefings on housing items.  The briefings would be open to all Council Members to attend.

The Chairman announced that there would be four site visits for members of the Committee on 12 September 2011, including a visit to a day centre.

To receive petitions from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

The Chairman announced that no petitions had been received from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

To receive any questions, statements or deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of part A4 of the Constitution.

The Chairman announced that no questions, statements or deputations from members of the public had been received in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

To consider any decision of the Executive referred to this Committee for review  in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.10 of Part D2.  

No decisions from the Executive had been referred to the Committee for review in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.10 of Part D2.

To consider any items referred to the Committee at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

No items were referred to the Committee for consideration at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

To receive a verbal update from the Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing.

This item is scheduled for 5 minutes.

Cllr Mrs Carole Hegley, Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing informed the Committee of several issues, including a Supported Living Forum and a safeguarding presentation which she had attended.

Councillor Hegley stated that there would be a full report to Members on the recent Peer Group Review following a verbal presentation.  The review had been favourable.

Councillor Hegley provided an update on Southern Cross Healthcare, which operated two homes in Central Bedfordshire.

To receive an update from Bedfordshire LINk on local health matters influencing LINk activity as defined by the Health and Social Care Act 2001.

This item is scheduled for 5 minutes.

Mr Max Coleman, Chairman of Bedfordshire Local Involvement Network (LINk), gave a verbal presentation on the recent work of LINk in Central Bedfordshire.  LINk wanted to increase their membership from 600 to 1,000 and were promoting themselves in the community, including at the recent Linslade Canal Festival.  Bedfordshire LINk had held its annual general meeting on 15 July 2011 and had also attended a number of strategic reviews.

Members thanked Bedfordshire LINk and their members for their contributions and for their contributions towards a number of outcomes.

RECOMMENDATION: That the presentation be noted.

To present to the Committee with an update from 22 November 2010 on the programme for QIPP.

This item is scheduled for 20 minutes.

The Committee received a presentation from Mr James Hamilton, Head of Programme Office, NHS Bedfordshire and NHS Luton, on QIPP, which was a national programme aimed at improving service delivery and generating financial efficiencies for re-investment in system healthcare.  QIPP aimed to empower patients by:

• Providing planned care more efficiently;
• Improving the patient experience regarding urgent care;
• Improving access to mental health services;
• Discharging patients from hospital to their own homes or appropriate settings as soon as possible;
• Providing pathways to ensure that patients’ needs and wishes were taken into account in their care;
• Making the best and most cost effective use of medicines, including moving towards cheaper generic drugs.

Mr Max Coleman, Chairman of Bedfordshire Local Involvement Network (LINk), referred to a group he had chaired 18 months ago which had come to the conclusion that generic drugs should be reproduced exactly as the originals in size, colour and shape as the continual change of tablets confused the elderly and in some cases made them feel as if the tablets were not performing as well as the proprietary brand.  More information on this subject would be given to the Committee at its next meeting.  Members also considered that quality control of generic drugs was important, particularly as there could be differences in ingredients between similar types of drug, and asked about the safeguards which were in place.  They also considered that there needed to be joined up working to support patients through their health journey.  Mr David Levitt, Head of Public Engagement and Communications, NHS Bedfordshire, referred to social care workers who would be able to assess people in their own homes and help to provide joined up working.  He stated that the NHS nationally was looking at the “Healthy Future” provision of care.

RECOMMENDATION:  That the presentation be noted.

To receive a report relating to the number of complaints in adult social care.

This item is scheduled for 15 minutes.

The Assistant Director, Business and Performance presented the statutory annual report of complaints and compliments from customers of Adult Social Care in 2010/11.  Some performance issues had been identified in the feedback and there had been some learning and progress made in dealing with the issues.

The number of complaints had increased from 66 in 2009/10 to 88 in 2010/11, however, this reflected only a small percentage of the 5,000 users of the service during the year.  Officers were responding to the complaints and were rectifying the issues identified.  Equality and diversity issues were being tracked through the complaints received.  Steps had been taken to make it easier for service users to complain and users were assisted if they wished to make complaints but were uncertain how to do so.

The number of compliments received had increased from 16 in 2009/10 to 52 in 2010/11.

It was noted that officers had checked why there were peaks and troughs in the number of complaints received but had discovered no significant reasons for that.  It was also noted that the number of complaints received might increase as there was more pressure on self-funding for extra services.

Members considered that it would be useful to monitor the complaints and compliments received to build a clearer picture of where they came from.

RECOMMENDATION: That the report be noted.

The consider a report regarding the transition of the Bedfordshire Local Involvement Network (LINk) to a Healthwatch organisation.

This item is scheduled for 10 minutes.

The Head of Partnerships presented a report on the progress being made to establish a statutory local HealthWatch organisation in Central Bedfordshire in 2011/12.  The local HealthWatch would provide information and advice to help people access and make choices about services.  Transition arrangements had already begun to move from Bedfordshire Local Involvement Network (LINk) to a local Healthwatch.

Central Bedfordshire HealthWatch would be part of the group of early implementers as a Pathfinder.  The vision for the HealthWatch is to be an independent consumer champion.  The next steps would be to establish a development group to lead the transition plans.  A stakeholder event is planned for 30 September 2011.

A comment was made that many agencies work with people up to the age of 65 and then stop.  There was a need to ensure that people over the age of 65 were supported by the relevant agencies.

RECOMMENDATION: That the requirement on the Council to commission a local HealthWatch organisation, the associated financial implications and the steps underway to achieve this be noted.

To receive a report regarding the local offers with tenants and the annual report that is produced by tenants.

This item is scheduled for 20 minutes.

The Tenant Involvement Manager presented a report giving the Committee information on the Housing Service’s Local Offers, providing an update on the 2011 Annual Report and including details of the tenants’ consultation exercise.  Benchmarking date should be available in late August 2011.  The final report would be available on-line with all figures by 1 October 2011 and copies would be sent to Members and tenants.

The Tenant Involvement Manager then provided information on the estate management schemes and tenants’ involvement in answer to a Member’s question.

The Chairman asked that a copy of the Annual Report be sent to all members of the Committee when it was issued to tenants plus a copy of “Housing Matters”.

RECOMMENDATION: That the report be noted.

To update the Committee on the procurement of care for the Extra Care homes.

This item is scheduled for 20 minutes.

The Assistant Director, Commissioning presented a report updating the Committee on the progress made to change the provider delivering home care to four extra care sheltered housing schemes in Central Bedfordshire.  Shortlisted providers would be interviewed on 2 August and a recommendation regarding providers made to the Executive on 23 August 2011.  A comprehensive implementation plan involving tenants had been drawn up and quality assurance and performance management measures were in place.

A Member stated that she had received complimentary feedback regarding the consultation process which had taken place.  The Executive Member for Social Care, Health and Housing stated that the project was running to time and was an example of good practice in how to a project should be run.

RECOMMENDATION: That the outcomes of the consultation process and the progress made be noted.

To update the committee on the consultation undertaken in relation to the older persons review of sheltered accommodation in the south of Central Bedfordshire and the approach proposed to be taken.

This item is scheduled for 20 minutes.

The Housing Services Manager presented a report detailing progress on the housing needs of older people in the south of Central Bedfordshire.  The views of current residents in the Council’s sheltered housing schemes were being sought plus the views of potential future residents.  Consultation plans were at Phase 1 and work was underway on options for both sheltered schemes (Crescent Court, Toddington and Croft Green, Dunstable), being informed by available research into housing needs s for older people and methods of providing extra care support for people at home.

Officers undertook to liaise with Bedford Pilgrim Housing Association to organise visits for Members to see Extra Care Housing Schemes as it was considered this would be helpful.

RECOMMENDATION: That the progress of the review and the consultation plans for Crescent Court and Croft green Sheltered Schemes be noted.

To receive the quarter 4 performance position for the Social Care Health and Housing Directorate.

This item is scheduled for 10 minutes.

The Assistant Director Business and Performance presented a report giving performance information for quarter 4 of 2010/11.  He gave information on each performance indicator, giving details as to the performance over the quarter. 

The following comments were made on the report:

• There was concern that the Government would be increasing the national target for NI 130 from 30% to 100%.  The Executive Member  for Social Care, Health and Housing stated that she would be tracking progress against this indicator given the scale of the task;
• There were concerns raised that as the numbers on personal budgets increase there could be an impact if customers or their families were not using their personal budgets to pay for services and the cost was having to be recovered.  There were safeguarding issues which needed to be considered in this respect.  It was considered that it would be useful to have further information on safeguarding.

RECOMMENDATION: That the report be noted.

To receive the quarter 4 budget position for the Social Care Health and Housing Directorate.

This item is scheduled for 10 minutes.

The Assistant Director Business and Performance presented a report giving the full year outturn for the Social Care, Health and Housing directorate for 2010/11 as £50.570m, being £0.406m under budget, compared to the forecast over spend of £0.204m at the end of quarter 3.

There had been pressures around the numbers and complexity of care for Older People and for People with Learning Disabilities.  The increases for Older People had not been included in the 2010/11 base budget but this was addressed and an allowance was built into the 2011/12 budget.

A Member asked about costs following hospital discharges and the Assistant Director Business and Performance confirmed these related to fines where there had been delays to hospital discharge.  Following a question raised on rent arrears he stated that further information regarding the process around arrears could be picked up in the housing briefing session mentioned earlier in the meeting (minute 17 above refers).

RECOMMENDATION: That the outturn of £50.570m and £0.406m under spend be noted.

To consider details of the currently draft Committee work programme and the Executive Forward Plan.

This item is scheduled for 10 minutes.

Members considered the Committee’s draft work programme for 2011/12 and the Executive Forward Plan.

RESOLVED that the draft work programme be approved, with the addition of a visit to a day centre to the programme of site visits to be held on 12 September 2011.