Agenda item

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

Councillor Alison Born, Cabinet Member for Adults addressed the Panel, a summary is set out below and a copy of the update will be attached as an online appendix to these minutes.

System pressures

We continue to experience Covid outbreaks in care homes which also reduces the availability of beds, 4 homes are currently closed to admission due to Covid with 32 people, residents and staff currently testing positive. There has been a significant increase in cases following the false negative PCR tests.

While our adult care team has continued to work closely with the RUH, Virgin care and other local providers, staff shortages are having an increasing impact on the system and there are growing concerns about the RUH’s ability to respond to acute needs and to tackle the backlog of work caused by the pandemic. Commissioners are currently working on actions to improve flow through the system which will have an impact on the adult social care response.

We are commissioning additional home care through the Discharge to Assess programme (D2A) and have set up an Intermediate care team to support people who are being reabled in care home beds. However, this is proving challenging in the current employment market.

One of the many measures we have taken to mitigate the staff shortages is to develop the Proud to Care campaign which included holding a Recruitment Fair at the end of September. While this was welcomed and well supported by local providers, the number of people that attended was low, but has resulted in a small number of appointments.

Learning Disability Services

A joint strategic review between the CCG and the Council has been undertaken which highlights the current gaps and issues in local provision for people with learning disabilities along with a lack of planning and market development. As a result, both the CCG and the Council are strengthening their commissioning of these services, developing the market in a more planned and strategic way.

The first phase of commissioning and procurement will be to continue to grow supported living services and the procurement for this will commence next year.

Care Homes

The Leader of the Council and myself have a planned visit to Cleeve Court in November to thank the staff for the fantastic work they are doing and for what they have done throughout the pandemic.

The Chairman asked if she planned to visit all three local Care Homes.

Councillor Born replied that she did intend to.

Kevin Burnett asked if the Council was working with the CCG to attempt to alleviate the current pressures mentioned.

The Director of Adult Social Care replied that they were looking to support the workforce as much as possible with events such as Proud to Care. She added that one of the main aims now within Social Care was to fund, recruit and retain staff.

Corinne Edwards, Chief Operating Officer, BSW CCG added that staffing was their level 1 priority as Winter approaches.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked how big the impact will be in terms of the need for frontline staff to now be vaccinated.

The Director of Adult Social Care replied that this affected all Care Home staff from 11^th November 2021 and would come into force for NHS staff from April 2022. She added that issues concerning two members of staff had now been resolved.

Councillor Paul May commented that he was pleased to see the steps being taken to improve services for those with learning disabilities as he felt that Covid-19 had highlighted their vulnerability.

Councillor Born said that the work was ongoing and that there was a need to make sure that they are not isolated from services or their families.

Councillor Dine Romero, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture was unable to address the Panel, a copy of her update will be attached as an online appendix to these minutes and she asked for any questions to be submitted to her in writing.

The Chairman thanked them both for their updates on behalf of the Panel.