Agenda item

The Cabinet Member will update the Select Committee on any relevant issues. Select Committee members may ask questions on the update provided.

Councillor Vic Pritchard, Cabinet Member for Adult Care, Health and Wellbeing addressed the Select Committee. A copy of the update can be found on their Minute Book and as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary of the update is set out below.

Reablement Service Review Update

We have been talking to Councils across the South-West to find out how reablement is being delivered in other areas.  The project team had a useful visit with Swindon’s reablement service which is achieving excellent outcomes for local people, particularly in discharging people from hospital without unnecessary delays.  Interviews with people who have used our own reablement service are also underway, with the team visiting people in their homes to talk about the service and people’s experiences of it. 

Homecare Model for the future

We are currently consulting on our proposed model, which will help us work more collaboratively with providers to deliver the best possible care for local people.  People who use the services have been telling us what is important to them. We have used this to develop a list of outcomes which set out what will be different for local people, and how homecare would feel to use in future.  We’ve also listened to providers’ views on what it’s like to run a homecare service. We are inviting the public to give us their thoughts on the proposed outcomes, through a survey on our website. We have also had really helpful feedback at a recent engagement event from Virgin’s Citizens’ Panel members and the Council and CCG’s Community Champions.

Assistive Technology

Following a recent pilot of assistive technology solutions in our Reablement Service, we have just undertaken a review of our current provision of telecare – recognising a need to improve the commissioned offer of supporting people more innovatively. We are now working to refine our plans for investment and ensure a coherent service is developed in harmony with the procurement of our Community Equipment service in 2020.

The Council and CCG are shortlisted for a Health Service Journal Award

The Council, CCG and Care Home Selection, a brokerage service, have been shortlisted in the Health Service Awards 2019.  The discharge service operating from the RUH and Community Hospitals was entered for the Integrated Care Consultancy Project and outlines how CHS support people who are self-funding, people who are at end of life and those also funded by the Local Authority to choose and move to a placement from hospital where this is appropriate.  The service has helped to reduce the number of people delayed in hospital and over 95% of people using the service rated it as very good or excellent.  Feedback from hospital staff, social care teams and care providers has been very positive. 

Trusted Assessor Project Supports Care Homes and Hospitals

A new project, funded by the Better Care Fund, has seen a new role in B&NES.  A “trusted assessor;” a nurse and care home manager by background has been working with care homes and hospital wards to help complete assessments for patients ready to go to care homes.  This role is helping free up time within care homes and reducing the length of time patients are waiting to be assessed for a placement.  The role is called “trusted assessor” because a very important component of the role is to build trust between care homes and hospitals.  After discharge, our Trusted Assessor also keeps in contact with care homes to make sure the discharge went smoothly and to iron out any issues.  The role is initially for 6 months and will be evaluated soon.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson asked whether Virgin Care currently have an effective IT platform.

Dr Ian Orpen replied that they do have one and that work was ongoing regarding an integrated care record which was expected to be ready in the summer.

Kirsty Matthews, Managing Director BANES Community Health and Care Services added that this was to be an additional platform.

Councillor Bryan Organ asked if any progress had been made with regard to dispute with Sirona.

Councillor Pritchard replied that strike action planned over the Christmas period was not carried out, but he said that no resolution had been achieved regarding the dispute.

The Chair thanked Councillor Pritchard for his update on behalf of the Select Committee.