Issue - meetings

(item 6 -  report by Mr Graham Gibbens, Cabinet Member for Adults Social Care and Public Health and Mr Andrew Ireland, Corporate Director for Families and Social Care,) 

See record of decision on page 5.

1.         Mr Lobban introduced the report and presented a series of slides which set out the context and key aims of the Transformation model, which, he explained is consistent with the Government’s vision for Adult Social Care. He and Mr Ireland highlighted its key aims as:-

·        to deliver better outcomes for clients at less cost.

·        to ensure available funding is directed to the areas which will achieve the best value for money and greater efficiency while maximising client choice.

·        to allow Adult Social Care to fulfil its statutory duties while making a contribution to the £200million deficit faced by the KCC over the next three years. This contribution will need to be substantial as the ASC budget is approximately one-third of the total KCC budget (excluding schools).

He highlighted its key elements and set out the process and timetable for consultation on and implementation of the model and the rationale for asking the Cabinet to agree the Programme Blueprint and Preparation Plan.

2.         Mr Lobban and Mr Ireland then answered questions of detail.  The comments and views expressed by Members included the following:-

a)         the presentation did not make clear or help Members to understand how the Transformation programme fits with the Government’s vision for Social Care;

b)         to achieve good transformation, it is important to avoid bureaucracy;

c)         the number of carers, particularly young carers, in Kent is high and is of great concern;

d)         the KCC would need to be able to check on the quality of care being provided to vulnerable clients by care companies;

e)         the Transformation programme seems to be a way of disguising cuts, and it is misleading to show aspirations for the future which those proposing them do not have to start work on yet.  It supports a political ideology to move away from provision to commissioning;

f)          some parts of the programme refer to using the cheapest option when delivering care; the elderly deserve better than the cheapest option;

g)         Members appear to have very limited involvement and influence in the process, being involved only in the yearly issuing of contracts and again at a yearly monitoring;

h)         the issues raised emphasise the need for people to look ahead and plan for themselves what services they might need and how they wish to access them;

i)          provision of adult social care, and particularly preventative services, is a national issue and needs a national scheme to address it.  It is good to see this document starting to address this;

j)          Kent needs skilled, well-trained care workers to meet the needs of its vulnerable clients.  There is insufficient supply of these workers;

k)         the emphasis on keeping control of finance is good.  Social Services should not be judged solely on its accounts, but it is important to pay attention to accounting, as money saved in one area can be directed to benefit another area;

l)          the Blueprint document provides a good route map for future progress;

m)        the way in which older people  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6