Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr R Bingham, Mr A Bowness, Mr W Clark, Mr M Hawkins and Mr D Gawne (Ms D Garton substituting).

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

It was noted that the following changes had been made to the Board membership:-

Mr R Bingham and Mr W Wearing had replaced Mr K Hitchen and Dr S Haraldsen as members of the Board.

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).

Mr G Roberts declared a non-pecuniary interest as a member of Whitehaven Town Council and CNTW Trust.

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

There were no items of business that required the exclusion of the press and public.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults held on 1 October 2021 (copy enclosed).

RESOLVED,  that the minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2021 be agreed as an accurate record.

To receive a presentation by Executive Director – People.

The Assistant Director - (Deputy DAS) gave a presentation on the Adult Social Care Strategic Position which included the following areas:-

·      Health & Social Care System

·      Current Situation

·      Change to Demand Volumes and Profile

·      Capacity Constraints

·      System Coordination

·      Adult Social Care Impact

·      Adult Social Care Winter Plan

·      Workstream Updates

The Chair commented that Covid seemed to be closer for families now.  He noted that people seemed to have multiple visits to hospital.  How would people be able to be Discharged to Home.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) noted that there had been a risk assessment on the situation and hopefully with Reablement Support people would continue their meaningful life.  However there is no capacity for Reablement Support to do this.  Alternative options are considered for example Short Term Family Payments. Help had been requested from Cumbria County Council officers to help within Cumbria Care.  If care was not available at home then a conversation with the person would take place about the risks and a Social Worker would be allocated.  It was also important to look at existing care packages.

A member remarked that with the abolition of the convalescing hospital the NHS had shed the costs and out that onto the Social Care system.  We need to bear in mind that convalescing worked.  Another member wholeheartedly agreed with those comments and reiterated that there always was a need for the convalescing hospitals.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) noted that this was a good point and that it was important to support people with more complex needs.

Members raised concerns regarding the increase in A&E visits.  One member noted that they had been advised that one person had been unable to see a doctor in person and was told to go straight to A&E.  Another member was concerned that doctors were hiding behind technology and queried if the Clinical Care Groups were aware of this and what the Clinical Care Groups would do to resolve the issue.  They commented that the role of GP was not a Monday – Friday 9-5 role and more should be done to challenge GP’s.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) remarked that daily meetings were taking place with partners and some decisions had made an impact for example the new rule on self certification for 28 days.  It was important to note that Omicron had impacted large swathes of people.

A member noted that numbers were available regarding Covid infections and isolations, and wanted to know if there was anything known about long Covid and its impact on services and staffing.

The Assistant Director (Deputy DAS) commented that it was too early to understand the impact.  Cumbria County Council are aware of some complexities within the community are connected, however at this stage the full situation is not known.  There is an absence of 20% within the Directorate and 30% within Cumbria Care.  Managers have made adjustments for officers who have long Covid symptoms.

A discussion took place regarding the term “No Right to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To receive a presentation by Executive Director – People

The Senior Manager – Commissioning gave a presentation on the Extra Care Housing Situation which included the following areas:-

·      Current Extra Care Housing Strategy

·      Current Schemes and Agreed Developments

·      Current and Planned Extra Care Schemes

·      Development Programme

·      Impact of Pandemic

·      Next Steps

A member commented that it was great to see the schemes but do Cumbria County Council ensured that residents are given first choice.

The Senior Manager – Commissioning noted that Cumbria County Council ensured locals are given first choice especially in the National Park area.  There was a catchment area for the units which was in the surrounding area.

A member remarked that one for the schemes was for intergenerational living and commented that was a great idea.  Another member noted the intergenerational living and commented that it was an excellent idea however queried if elderly people would want to live with people who had learning disabilities.

The Senior Manager – Commissioning noted that it was normally a requirement for over 65 so this requirement did make it flexible.

A member commented that there was only one mention of Supported Living in the presentation and wanted to know why Supported Living was not more prominent.

The Senior Manager – Commissioning noted that the strategy for Adult Social Care ran out during the Covid pandemic and reassured the member that Supported Living will be in the next strategy.

A member remarked that there was a big need in the Whitehaven area and the member implored that further work must be done and was pleased to see that options were being considered in Copeland.

The Senior Manager – Commissioning replied that Covid had affected all parties concerned including the construction industry.

A member noted that it was important to learn the lessons for future pandemics and commended officers for all their hard work throughout the pandemic.

A member noted that the figures for demand were disturbingly high.  The member wanted this reemphasised to the new unitary authorities as they would have the opportunities to look at housing and remarked that this was a golden opportunity.

The Chair thanked the Senior Manager - Commissioning for her presentation.

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

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding presented a report providing an update and analysis of adult safeguarding activity in the second quarter of 2021/22, briefing members on progress against 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.

During the question and answer session that followed, a member raised queries regarding the number of referrals raised each month.  They remarked that the Cumbria target was set at 500 and wondered why that number had been chosen and asked for clarification on the high and low months of referrals for seasonal variation and noted that with the ongoing Covid situation what effect Covid had.

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding commented that the previous target was 400  but as the referrals had exceeded that the target had been amended to 500.  He noted that seasonal variations had always been the case and that it was very difficult to see what effect Covid had on the referral figures.

A member remarked on the number of referrals and queried if the pattern was similar in the previous year.

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding noted that the number of referrals were on a sustained rise.

A member commented that the figures do not show what is being done for persons with learning disabilities.

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding remarked that the figures had been delved deeper into and repeat concerns had been seen.  The Safeguarding Team had identified concerns with people who lived in shared living conditions.  It was the next step to see how we can support in that situation.

A member noted the location of abuse breakdown and queried if any statistics were known on what kind of abuse took place in Own Home.

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding responded that he wold look into this for the next quarter.

A member commented that there had been some duplication of police referrals and had that caused major issues.

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding noted that due to the reporting this had resulted in the issue being resolved in its infancy.

A member discussed safeguarding issues with both Adults and Children and if there was any correlation between both Adults and Children.  In particular if an enquiry had been received about an adult in a household with children is a safeguarding concern raised with the Childrens Safeguarding Team.

The Senior Manager – Safeguarding noted that there were a number issues of concern when a child was involved.  It was less likely for a child to be living with an adult at risk but in such a situation Adults would alert Children Services to the situation.

The Assistant Director - (Deputy DAS) commented that it was very important to make every contact count.  She also praised the Senior Manager – Safeguarding and the Safeguarding team and the impact that they were having.

The Chair then thanked the Senior Manager –  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To consider a report by the Executive Director – People.

Members received a briefing paper that informed of new or updated items of significance to the Adult Scrutiny Advisory Board. Members were informed that the Scrutiny Performance Working Group identified the following issue for consideration by the Board.

• Working toward increasing Cumbria Care’s market share by 8-14% each financial year

Members received the Board’s work programme and were encouraged to submit potential items for consideration.  A member remarked that the Extra Care Housing item should remain prominent.

It was agreed that an agenda planning meeting would be set up in February with the Chair, Vice Chair and Assistant Director (Deputy DAS).

The Chair then thanked the Strategic Policy & Scrutiny Adviser for his report.

RESOLVED,that

(1)  the report be noted;

(2)  consideration by given at the next agenda planning meeting for the inclusion of the discussed items outlined above to be placed on the Board’s agenda.

To note that the next meeting of the Scrutiny Advisory Board – Adults is scheduled for 28 March 2022.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Board will be held on 28 March 2022 at 10.00 am.