Agenda item

To receive a verbal update from the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing and the Interim Director of Public Health.

Adult Social Care

1.            Mr G K Gibbens gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Key Decisions:

Strategic Efficiency and Transformation Partner - The Council was currently tendering using a fully compliant, open, Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) process to select a strategic efficiency partner to continue the work currently being carried out in its transformation agenda.

The request to delegate the award decision to the Cabinet Member for Business Strategy, Audit and Transformation  would be submitted to the Policy and Resources Cabinet Committee on Friday 16 January. As it was a cross-directorate initiative, the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Cabinet Committee wanted to ensure that directorates affected were kept informed and, as the first tranche of work to be carried out under this contract would be the Adult Social Care Phase 2 implementation, requested that this committee be given an update.

Events:

23 December 2014 – Chairman’s Tour – this tour included a visit to the central referral unit at Kroner House in Ashford, and a similar visit was offered to any other Member who wished it.

20 January 2015 – will speak at conference in London about combatting loneliness and isolation

He responded to comments and questions, as follows:-

a)      there had been recent media coverage of training and recruitment issues, including the use of agency staff, and the issues raised by this would be addressed in a report to the committee at its March meeting.  Mr Ireland reassured Members that use of agency staff was carefully monitored, and undertook to look into what policy the County Council had regarding re-engaging its former employees who had left to work for agencies.  He added that it was important that the Council secure the most skilled staff it could find, even if that meant using agency staff.

2.            Mr A Ireland then gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Hospital discharge – this item was covered by an item later on the agenda

Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) Policy Day – this had taken place early in January and discussion had included the extent to which local authorities were prepared for the implementation of the Care Act.  An ADASS document titled ‘The Future of Social Care’ was currently in draft and would be sent to Members of the committee once finalised.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) – an amendment to primary legislation would be required to change the current legislative framework of this, so it was expected that the current arrangements would apply for at least the next three years.

Adult Public Health

3.            Mr A Scott-Clark then gave a verbal update on the following issues:-

Media campaigns – these were being tackled jointly by the public health and communications teams and external partners, mostly the NHS. Topics included late diagnosis of HIV, ‘dry January’ (giving up alcohol for January), national obesity week, starting on 19 January, noro virus and work with Public Health England on research into the health impacts of incidences of flooding.

4.              The verbal updates were noted, with thanks.