Agenda item

To receive a report and presentation from the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health and the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, and to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member on the proposed decision to approve the final draft of the strategy, with the supporting Accommodation Strategy for Adult Social Care and the Community Support Market Position Statement.

Mr M Thomas-Sam, Head of Strategy and Business Support, and Ms S Annan-Veitch, Policy Advisor, were in attendance for this item.

1.            Mr Thomas-Sam introduced the report and presented a series of slides (included in the agenda pack) which set out the context of the strategy, the range of responses received during the consultation exercise and the resulting changes made to the draft strategy since last reporting to the Cabinet Committee in October 2016.  Mr Ireland added that the strategy had been generally well received in focus group sessions with staff and partners as part of the consultation. The strategy was both forward-looking and aspirational in seeking to determine the future of social care in Kent.  Mr Ireland and Mr Thomas-Sam responded to comments and questions, as follows:-

a)    the strategy had been awarded a  crystal mark by the Plain English Campaign  at its first attempt, for which Mr Thomas-Sam received Members’ congratulations;

b)    the easy-read version of the document was also much welcomed, and Members asked that this be made available to all Members ahead of the strategy being considered by the County Council on 8 December;

c)    concern was expressed that, as the strategy was aspirational, and as the economic situation worsened and staff and resources became more scarce, the County Council may not be able to put into practice what it had set out in it.  Mr Ireland responded that, although aspirational, the strategy was not naïve, and although external events would have an effect, the strategy was robust;

d)    it was important that such a document take account of the support needs of people with learning disabilities, especially young people making the transition from children’s to adults’ services.  Ms Southern advised that much work had been done on the needs of the 16 – 25 age group and was now continuing to identify the best model for the 26+ age group.  This would be reported to the Cabinet Committee when completed; 

e)    concern had been expressed during the consultation that some people may be forced into living independently when this did not suit them or was not what they wanted.  Mr Thomas-Sam reassured Members that the revised strategy relied on ‘needs–led’ assessments, which would be carefully undertaken to ensure that the support being put in place was appropriate;

f)     in response to a question about how well the strategy had been received by the voluntary sector, Mr Thomas-Sam advised that the County Council had increase the emphasis placed on the role of the voluntary sector and had linked the strategy to those of other organisations which provided related services; and

g)    concern was expressed about the impact of carers needing to continue in paid work later in life, and hence not being so able to fulfil the carer role that they might traditionally have taken on, and how this shortfall could be covered.  Mr Thomas-Sam advised that part of the role of the carers’ assessment process would be to take account of changing patterns such as this. Furthermore, information about carers’ issues had been revised in the equality impact assessment in response.   

2.            The Cabinet Member, Mr Gibbens, thanked Mr Thomas-Sam and the officer team for the huge amount of work which had gone into preparing and developing the strategy. He praised the clarity of the document and supported the sharing of the easy-read version with all Members prior to its consideration by the County Council.

3.            RESOLVED that the decision proposed to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, to:

a)     approve ‘Your Life, Your Well-being’ as the vision and strategy for adult social care from 2016 to 2021, with the supporting Accommodation Strategy for Adult Social Care and the Community Support Market Position Statement;

b)    delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, or other nominated officer, to refresh and/or make revisions as appropriate to the above documents during their lifetime; and

c)    delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, or other nominated officer, to undertake the necessary actions to implement the decision,

be endorsed.