Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

To report and note changes to the membership of the Board.

There were no changes to membership to note.

Members are invited to disclose any disclosable pecuniary interest they have in any item on the agenda which comprises

1          Details of any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain.

2          Details of any payment or provision of any other financial benefit (other than from the authority) made or provided within the relevant period in respect of any expenses incurred by you in carrying out duties as a member, or towards your election expenses.  (This includes any payment or financial benefit from a trade union within the meaning of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

3          Details of any contract which is made between you (or a body in which you have a beneficial interest) and the authority

(a)     Under which goods or services are to be provided or works are to be executed; and

            (b)     Which has not been fully discharged.

4          Details of any beneficial interest in land which is within the area of the authority.

5          Details of any licence (alone or jointly with others) to occupy land in the area of the authority for a month or longer. 

6          Details of any tenancy where (to your knowledge)

            (a)     The landlord is the authority; and

            (b)     The tenant is a body in which you have a beneficial interest.

7          Details of any beneficial interest in securities of a body where

(a)     That body (to your knowledge) has a place of business or land in the area of the authority; and

(b)     Either –

         (i)        The total nominal value of the securities exceeds £25,000 or one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that body; or

         (ii)       If that share capital of that body is of more than one class, the total nominal value of the shares of any one class in which the relevant person has a beneficial interest exceeds one hundredth of the total issued share capital of that class.

In addition, you must also disclose other non-pecuniary interests set out in the Code of Conduct where these have not already been registered.

Note

A “disclosable pecuniary interest” is an interest of a councillor or their partner (which means spouse or civil partner, a person with whom they are living as husband or wife, or a person with whom they are living as if they are civil partners).

There were no declarations of interest at the meeting.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item on the agenda.

RESOLVED,that the press and public be not excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item on the agenda.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults held on 4 October 2019 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED,that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 October 2019 be agreed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

To receive a presentation by the Interim Executive Director – People (copy enclosed).

Members received a presentation on Adult Social Care Reshaping.  The presentation outlined the current structure and the changes needed to improve the service.  The key changes in the final structure were outlined, to introduce a countywide thematic structure putting clients at the heart of everything, promoting independence and ensuring best outcomes for all.  The Senior Managers, Adult Social Care updated members on their individual service areas

During a detailed question and answer session, Members were reassured on the futureproofing of the new structure, the successful piloting of the redesigned “front door” approach and discussed staff retention, placement and recruitment.  28 new posts had been created in the reshaping exercise. The number of enquiries received on a weekly basis and the correct triaging of these calls were discussed. Working within communities to maximise opportunities, risk aversion and emergency resilience were also addressed. 

In answer to a question on why Mental Health and Learning Disabilities teams were combined, the Senior Manager said that, although he had responsibility for the strategic overview of these teams, they were defined separate service areas.  The Senior Managers made the clear distinction between the different practitioner roles, moving away from the generic job role model.  The flexibility of the new structure to meet demand and ongoing partnership work with health colleagues was highlighted.  Members were pleased to note that time for staff development and investment was built into the new structure.

The local member for Millom asked for clarity on who would respond to issues in Millom.  It was noted that the Senior Manager – Safeguarding intended to attend local committees to brief members on the new structure and safeguarding issues. 

To conclude, members were informed that the new structure would go live in April.  The officers were congratulated on their enthusiasm and informative presentation.

RESOLVED,that

(1)   the presentation be noted;

(2)  the Senior Manager for Safeguarding engage with Local Committees to brief members on the new structure, members’ responsibilities for safeguarding and clarify members’ point of contact for safeguarding concerns;

(3)  an update on the implementation and success of the structure, particularly in managing demand and promoting independence be made to the Autumn meeting of the Board.

To consider a report by the Interim Executive Director – People (copy enclosed).

The Board received a report from the Interim Executive Director – People providing an update on the intensive activity in Barrow in Furness to address the recent spike in drug poisoning deaths.

Members were informed that a Barrow Drugs Deaths Response Group had been established in response to an increased number of drug poisoning deaths in South Cumbria from December 2017.  The Group’s remit was to coordinate actions to prevent further drug poisoning deaths and to support those impacted by drug misuse in South Cumbria.  A number of initiatives, working with different agencies, had been implemented including a partnership approach, a trigger plan for near misses, police operation, support and education and the establishment of a Wellbeing Hub at Egerton Court in Barrow.  Members heard that there was no doubt that the work that had taken place has had an impact on reducing the number of deaths but that there was more work to be done to maintain the momentum.  The Barrow Group would continue to meet to ensure that happened.

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Public Health Manager had not able to attend the meeting for this item and therefore it was agreed that members be given written answers to their questions. 

RESOLVED,that a further report be made to the Board on progress made on this issue county wide from Public Health and multiagency colleagues.

To consider a report by Interim Executive Director – People (copy enclosed).

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding (the officer) presented a report providing an update and analysis of adult safeguarding activity for the second quarter 2019/20, briefing members on progress against the key areas of performance relating to ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’, providing a benchmark against other local authorities and describing actions planned to strengthen and consolidate improvements in adult safeguarding in Cumbria through the Safeguarding Adults Board. 

Members noted that an increase in episodes of safeguarding concerns/enquiries did not infer an increase in the demand rate for the service but was predominately due to an evaluation and improvement in processes and methodology leading to an improvement in the numbers of logged concerns.  An eighteen month timeframe had been introduced to ensure any repeat concerns were contemporaneous and not historic.  Members were assured that officers would listen to family concerns and take on board the information.

Several issues were raised by members including the role of Deprivation of Liberty Officers (Dols), modern slavery, risk aversion and the involvement of families and individuals to support people to define their own outcomes in relation to safeguarding intervention.  The officer assured members that modern slavery abuse remained at a negligible level. 

Following Members’ comments, the Senior Manager – Safeguarding agreed to change some formatting of the data in the report for better comparative reading.  To conclude the Senior Manager – Safeguarding updated members on the work of the Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board.

RESOLVED,that

(1)  the report be noted;

(2)  the Senior Manager – Safeguarding attend each Local Committee to give a presentation on an illustrative example of a full safeguarding enquiry involving all the stages to be followed.

To consider a report by the Interim Executive Director – People (copy enclosed).

The Strategic Policy and Scrutiny Advisor introduced his report updating members of new and updated items of significance to the Adults Board.

Members were informed that the Forward Plan from 1 January – 29 February 2020 included Cumbria Integrated Health and Care Workforce Strategy and Better Care Fund 2020-21.  The Scrutiny Performance Working Group had met on 9 October and a further meeting had been held on 7 January and considered the Quarter 2 Performance Monitoring report.

Members were advised that the Joint Health and Adults Advisory Group had met on 22 October and the work had focussed on prevention and mitigation on the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences throughout life.

Members considered the Board’s work programme which was appended to the report.

RESOLVED,that

(1)  the Joint Adults Advisory Board receive a report on the implementation of the Health and Care Workforce Strategy;

(2)  a report on the analysis Delayed Transfer of Care figures be presented to the March meeting of the Board and the monthly figures on DTOCs be circulated to members of the Cumbria Health Scrutiny Committee.

To note that the next meeting of the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults is scheduled for 30 March 2020 at 10.00 am in County Offices, Kendal.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults is scheduled for 30 March 2020 at 10 am at County Offices, Kendal.