Agenda item

Janice Duff (Assistant Director SKC and Thanet) and Michael Thomas-Sam (Strategic Business Adviser) were in attendance for this item. 

1.            Mr Gibbens, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, introduced this report, he explained that there were two elements: Delayed Transfers of Care and the new monies announced by the Government (summarised in points 1.6 – 1.8).  Appendix 1 outlined suggested ways in which the new monies should be spent.

2.              The Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee had previously considered the same information as Cabinet about the proposals. 

3.            Across Kent the current Delayed Transfer of Care (DToC) performance was ‘red’ for both health and social care and combined responsibilities.  On the percentage of delays that were the responsibility of social care, performance was ‘green’ against the target.  Kent performance was 4^th when compared to its statistical neighbours. 

4.            A post winter review report would be submitted to Cabinet in Feb/March 2019.

5.            Janice Duff, Assistant Director SKC and Thanet, outlined some key areas of the report.  DToC remained a key priority and there was a focus on improved performance.  Adult Social Care and Health continued to support people as far as possible to return to their own homes.  The performance across social care had gone from strength to strength and KCC was in a strong position.  The challenges included; workforce, recruitment of staff, increase in demand and an increase in requirements to provide domiciliary care across all client groups. 

6.            Penny Southern, Corporate Director, Adult Social Care and Health, welcomed the additional £6.1million, the Cabinet was being asked to approve the schemes and activity response as set out in Appendix 1.  It was very useful to have had an early announcement around funding for next year, and this allowed further evaluation of investment for future years.  A DToC occurred when a patient was ready to be moved from care but continued to occupy a hospital bed, it was crucial that KCC and its partners supported and got this right for the people of Kent.  In response to a question about whether the Council’s health partners were also innovating the Officer explained that this was a complex issue in Kent; partners were innovating but they were starting from a difficult position with their own financial deficits. 

7.            A Member referred to workforce; was this one of the biggest problems and what was being done about it?  Could some of the additional money be put towards the workforce problems?  Penny Southern explained that workforce was an issue across all of social care.  There were a number of initiatives both short and long term focussing on increasing the workforce, including three major conferences to support the workforce.   CCGs offered free training for staff, officers in Social Care were working hard with colleagues in education to encourage people to choose social care as a career with an appropriate salary rate. The money would be used to look at contracts and investing in the hourly rate or weekly charge to ensure money went into individual worker’s pockets. 

8.            The Leader commented that it was also important to look to recruit from oversees. 

9.            A Member noted that when commissioning new services it was important to consider risk and monitor contracts to ensure value for money and that they were delivering against the framework. 

10.         Mr Gibbens summarised and endorsed all the comments made, workforce was a national issue and the Council was working to encourage a sustainable market in accordance with the requirements of the Care Act. 

11.         The Leader proposed that recommendation (c) be amended as follows: “Agree to Welcome and accept the additional winter funding for 2018-19”.  

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

a) COMMENT and NOTE progress and the ongoing challenges since the last report;

b) COMMENT and NOTE the whole system and partnership working that led to the development of the preparation and escalation plans;

c) WELCOME and accept the additional winter funding for 2018-19;

d) APPROVE the schemes and activity response in Appendix 1 with any consequent detailed spending decisions for the winter funding to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health.

e) NOTE that a post-winter review report will be prepared for Cabinet in February/March 2019.