Agenda item

1. The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, Mr Dan Watkins provided a verbal update on the following:

Consultations – Mr Watkins provided the committee with an update on ongoing consultations.

1. Two for the Best Start for Life programme: Nourishing our next generation: a 5-year infant feeding strategy and Nurturing little hearts and minds: a perinatal mental health and parent-infant relationship strategy. Both were open until 3 April 2024.
2. Two for the Adult Social Care Charging Policy: changes to Self-Funding Arrangement Set up Fee and Higher Level Disability Benefits. Both were open until 7 April 2024.
3. The Future of Blackburn Lodge Care Home which would be open until 7 May 2024.

Ageing Without Children East Kent meeting – Mr Watkins noted that he had met with the community group that represented adults who may require care on the 28 February 2024 to discuss the issues and challenges that this group faced on navigating the care system in the absence of children. There was a concern about the power of attorney when there is no next of kin.

Technology Enhanced Lives stall – The Cabinet Member said there would be a stall at the next County Council meeting, 28 March 2024. The stall would demonstrate to all Members some of the technology, tools and services available through the service.

2. The Corporate Director for Adult Social Care, Mr Richard Smith, provided a verbal update on the following:

Consultations – Mr Smith thanked his staff for all the work they were doing on the ongoing consultation and noted that this would be a feature of the work going forward as the service was being remodelled and reshaped. It was said that the the digital story in Kent was something to be proud of with considerable progression made in the area which was gaining attention nationwide.

Making the senior leadership team more visible - It was said that due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and hybrid working an increased effort was being made to make the senior leadership team more visible to staff. Sessions had been arranged to allow for the opportunity for all new starters to meet with the leadership. The sessions allow for the occasion to discuss the Making a Difference Everyday strategy and set the tone for the whole service.

Making a Difference Everyday Strategy – Mr Smith said that the Scrutiny call-in had given the team time to review the strategy which was underway. It was noted that global events over the past 3 years had impacted the strategy.

Visits – Mr Smith visited three social work teams in Whitstable, Dover and Sittingbourne. It was noted the importance of getting the balance right on hybrid working to get more joined-up working going forward.

Practice Assurance Panels – It was said that the panels had been recently  established to implement spending controls. A live event with several hundred staff was held to launch the panel.

Joint Visit – Mr Smith said that he had a joint visit with the CEO of East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT) to an establishment in Folkstone and spoke to staff about how to make the pathway from hospitals into the community easier.

Joint Divisional Meeting – It was noted that a meeting had been held with the Council's Public Health team to work on the preventive health strategy.

Live Staff Event – An event was held to discuss staff survey results and the pledges on how the service would act on the results.

3. In response to comments and questions, it was said.

1. A Member asked what the response would look like to the consultation on the Adult Social Care charging policy, if there was a threshold against the charges would they be revisited. Mr Watkins said there was no threshold at which a different approach would be taken but the information would be used to inform the decision. The details of lived experience and the real-world impact of the changes would be taken into account. It was said that all adult social care-related consultations would be brought to the cabinet committee at an appropriate time for discussion.

2. It was asked how the Council supports those adults receiving care without children differently from those with children. Mr Watkins said that the advocacy group had been recently formed but that the cohort of care users without children was expected to increase going forward. It was noted that working with this advocacy group could help the Council arrange support to help them overcome the issues they face.

3. A Member asked about the recruitment and retainment of Occupational Therapists and if more data could be provided. It was said that the numbers could be circulated after the meeting. It was noted that this was a challenging area of recruitment as they were competing with the NHS and there was a national shortage of candidates. The service was looking at growing their apprenticeship scheme and progression opportunities for occupational therapist assistants.

4. A Member asked about the Councils which had issued a Section 114 notice and if there were lessons to be learnt about the impact on service provision. Mr Watkins said that the commissioners would decide what were the most essential services. Richard Smith said that the Professional Association for Directors of Adult Social Care had a wealth of information on what all other Councils were spending on their social care services and could benchmark where the Council was. It was noted that none of the Councils that had issued a Section 114 had done so due to the impact of people’s services, due to statutory grants from the central government, but due to unprecedented demand, this could change in the future. Richard Smith said that the service was currently at the minimum level to meet all statutory requirements.

5. It was said that Birmingham City Council had to cut £100 million from their Adult Social Care budget following the Section 114 notice, was asked what was the percentage equivalent for Kent. Richard Smith said that more information was required to understand how that could be implemented legally.