Agenda item

The Cabinet Member will update the Panel on any relevant issues. Panel members may ask questions.

Councillor Vic Pritchard, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing addressed the Select Committee, a summary is set out below.

Care Act – Delay of Implementation of the Care Cap

He informed them that on 17th July 2015, the government announced its decision to delay the introduction of the cap on social care costs under the Care Act until April 2020.  The cap on the amount self-funders will have to contribute to their care costs was due to be introduced from April 2016.

He explained that Alistair Burt, Minister of State for Community and Social Care, had stated in his announcement that ‘A time of consolidation is not the right moment to be implementing expensive new commitments such as this, especially when there are no indications the private insurance market will develop as expected. Therefore in light of genuine concerns raised by stakeholders, we have taken the difficult decision to delay the introduction of the cap on care costs system until April 2020.’

Councillor Pritchard said that the Council was not yet in a position to fully assess the implications of this very recent announcement and it was clear from the Minister’s statement that further information would be available in the coming months. He added that he would provide further updates to the Select Committee as and when further information became available.

Wellbeing House Opens

He said that this new service had been made possible with funding from B&NES Better Care Fund, and was being delivered by Sirona Care & Health and Curo (Housing). He explained that the house aims to provide a 3-bedded retreat - a place of sanctuary - for people experiencing mental health distress where they can receive low level social support to help them stabilise themselves and prevent a crisis escalating into secondary care.

B&NES Better Care Fund Plan Case Study

He informed the Select Committee that Bath and North East Somerset’s Better Care Fund Plan 2015/16-2018/19 had been identified by the Better Care Fund Task Force, comprising Department of Communities & Local Government; Local Government Association; NHS England and the Department of Health as an example of best practice. 

Councillor Eleanor Jackson asked if he was aware of when the Select Committee would be able to receive the joint scrutiny report from the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health NHS Partnership (AWP) that the previous Wellbeing Panel had been involved in.

Councillor Vic Pritchard replied that he was expecting the report soon and would chase it up.

Councillor Paul May asked what his expectations were of the role of the Select Committee.

Councillor Vic Pritchard replied that he felt that politics should not play a part in this area of work. He added that scrutiny was a very important role within the Council and that it should look to improve ways of working positively.

Councillor Geoff Ward asked how the Health & Wellbeing Board differed from the Health & Wellbeing Select Committee.

Councillor Vic Pritchard replied that the Board operated at a strategic level and that the Select Committee would be able to delve into matters more intricately.

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for his update on behalf of the Select Committee.