Agenda item

(1)        Clair Bell (Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

a)          25^th July 2019 – Chinese Delegation Visit

On 25th July, the Design and Learning Centre for Clinical and Social Innovation welcomed a delegation from the China Development Research Foundation to the West View Integrated Care Centre in Tenterden. The purpose of the visit was for the delegation to learn more about how Adult Social Care commissions and delivers care for older people in Kent and take findings back to China. A range of speakers, including Kent’s Head of Commissioning, Clare Maynard, shared ways in which Kent delivered its innovative services in the community. The delegation was an engaged event and there had been much discussion, particularly around the differences in Adult Social Care between the UK and China. The event had received very positive feedback and Kent had hoped to collaborate on similar events in future.

b)           22^nd August 2019 – Visit to West View Integrated Care Centre, Tenterden

Over the summer, Mrs Bell had visited the much-valued West View Integrated Care Centre which provided both adult social care and health care on the same site. The centre provided beds for respite care for older people with dementia and also beds for rehabilitation for people who required therapy/support to enable them to live at home independently. The centre also had a dementia day centre which was open six days a week.

c)            23^rd September 2019 – Visited Hedgerows Adults Short Break Unit in Staplehurst

Mrs Bell had recently visited Hedgerows in Staplehurst, a Short Break Unit for adults with learning disabilities. The facility was very valued by the community and, being in a rural part of the county, had pleasant surroundings with a welcoming outdoor space and lots of activities and outings were on offer.

d)           20^th September 2019 – Attended and spoke at the Kent Integrated Care Alliance Awards

On 20^th September, Mrs Bell attended the Kent Integrated Care Alliance awards, an annual event celebrating the best of social care in the county and honouring individuals who provided exceptional service in the sector. Kent’s Director of Partnerships, Anne Tidmarsh, was presented with a ‘Top Award of the Night’ award for her outstanding contribution to social care.

e)            Update on the past consultations and developments in relation to the Minnis Community Hub, Birchington

After consultation in 2011 about the future of services for older people at Minnis Community Hub, it was agreed that the Hub would be refurbished to attract use of its facilities by local community groups to increase the use for older people, and an extensive refurbishment took place between 2012 and 2013. Unfortunately, as the use of the Hub for older people’s services had not increased since the refurbishment took place, Kent County Council needed to re-evaluate the options that were available. A consultation would take place from 25^th September 2019 to 20^th November 2019 to seek the views of Community Hub users. The consultation documents were available on Kent County Council’s website, and paper copies of the documents were obtainable from the Hub itself, and from libraries in Birchington, Westgate-on-Sea and Margate. Feedback on the consultation would be presented to the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee in January 2020.

f)             7^th – 11^th October 2019 – Safeguarding Adults Awareness Week

Safeguarding Adults Awareness week would take place from Monday 7^th October to Friday 11^th October 2019. The Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board would be hosting its annual event which would highlight the message that safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility and focus on empowering individuals to act if concerned about the welfare of a person. Furthermore, The Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board would host a Safeguarding Adults Awareness conference at County Hall on Friday 11^th October 2019 to raise awareness of the different types of abuse, the channels for reporting concerns and to encourage agencies and businesses to evaluate their internal processes to safeguard adults at risk. Members were encouraged to support the campaign by using Kent’s social media tool kit or by attending or promoting the event.

g)           10^th October 2019 – World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day would take place on 10^th of October 2019, and various art therapy groups across Kent were hosting an exhibition at County Hall from 23^rd September to 11^th October 2019 called ‘Art In Mind’. The exhibition would display art as art was a valuable way for people experiencing mental health issues to express themselves to work through difficulties and visualise their feelings. Paintings, photographs and sculptures would be on display in the Stone Hall and many other events would be taking place across the county.

(2)        Ms Marsh referred to Mrs Bell’s comments in relation to World Mental Health Day 2019 and said that Kent County Council would re-sign the ‘Time to Change’ pledge on 10^th October 2019. A small conference would take place in the Lecture room, Sessions House, and various activities in the Stone Hall and car park. She encouraged everybody to attend the event and engage in the activities on offer.

(3)        Ms Marsh stated that funding from NHS England would be used to create four mental health service ‘safe havens’ in Kent and Medway – with one to be sited in Thanet. The successful bid, made by Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, would fund the havens aimed at helping young people who needed urgent mental health care and support across the county. She added that additional funding would be used to recruit additional mental health staff in the community and improve standards within psychiatric liaison services within Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital.

(4)        Penny Southern (Corporate Director of Adult Social Care and Health) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

a)                 25^th July 2019 – Social Work Degree Apprenticeship Launch
Mrs Southern spoke at the Social Work Degree Apprenticeship event on 25^th July 2019 where Kent County Council had outlined the offer and the process to apply for the 15 funded placements to train as a new social worker The event had been very positive, and the offered placements were a significant investment into Adult Social Care and Health in Kent.

b)           Update on the Adult Social Care Case Management System (MOSAIC)

The new modernised computer system within Adult Social Care in Kent, MOSAIC, was on track to go live and a further update on the new system would be brought to the Adult Social Care Cabinet Committee over coming months.

(5)        In response to a question, Mrs Southern referred to Brexit preparedness for the social care market and the plans that were in place to ensure that the potential disruption caused by Brexit was minimal.

(6)        RESOLVED that the verbal updates be noted.