Agenda item

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

The Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Councillor Alison Born stated that she was happy to take questions on the update that had been submitted to the Panel. A copy of the update will be attached to these minutes as an online appendix.

Councillor Liz Hardman referred to the point in the update that average waiting times for an OT assessment have risen to 8 months and asked if a refocus of the OT workforce as suggested would actually help decrease the waiting list.

Councillor Alison Born replied that primarily there was a national shortage in Occupational Therapists and that the Council has asked HCRG to develop a plan of how this can be improved.

The Assistant Director, Operations added that they are seeking to invest in 4 Occupational Therapist Apprenticeships when the service returns in house from April 1^st 2024. She said that the Community Wellbeing Hub and Live Well have also been advised on how to help support and signpost individuals to purchase simple items of equipment.

The Chair asked if it was known at this stage whether enough young people would be interested in taking on such a role.

The Assistant Director, Operations replied that their initial discussions with the University of the West of England and Bath College had shown that there is interest in taking up these positions.

The Chair asked if they were also considering addressing issues such career progression and rates of pay for both Occupational Therapists and Social Workers.

The Assistant Director, Operations replied that last year 10 newly qualified Social Workers were recruited by HCRG following a number of apprenticeship programmes which the Council fully supported. She added that the salaries for these posts have been looked and they do compare favourably with other Local Authorities in the South West and that they do also allocate a supplement for Nurses and Mental Health Professionals.

Kevin Burnett asked what the potential impact would be following the planned reductions in expenditure.

Councillor Alison Born replied that there would be a slowdown on recruitment and only appoint where it was necessary to do so. She added that care packages would be checked for any possible areas of duplication and that they should be able to assess any initial impact in the New Year.

Kevin Burnett asked in view of a potential CQC inspection in relation to the statutory delivery of Adult Social Care how would the Council currently rate itself.

The Assistant Director, Operations replied that following the recent positive Peer Review that officers feel they are on track to receive a good rating. She added that work was ongoing to make sure they are as prepared as they can be for when an inspection will take place.

Kevin Burnett asked how the ICB’s recent withdrawal of a temporary community hospital ward (Homeward) would affect the discharge from hospital process.

The Director of Place, Bath and North East Somerset, BSW ICB replied that this facility was always supposed to be a temporary measure and that all patients have been successfully discharged from it. She added that the funding involved ceased on 30^th November 2023. She said that plans for mitigation were still in place, but this could lead to additional pressures over the Winter period.

Kevin Burnett asked if the recently announced £40.5m boost for care for people with learning disabilities and autism was connected to the Supported Living Schemes.

The Director of Place, Bath and North East Somerset, BSW ICB replied that it was not.

Councillor Joanna Wright commented that it was recognised that where possible it is much better for people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible as well as this being beneficial to the Council’s budget. She asked if there was a link to be made between expanding the provision of Occupational Therapist Apprenticeships and the budget of the Council.

She asked if it was known how long the OT apprenticeship programme would take to complete.

The Chair advised that a discussion relating to elements of the budget would take place in January 2024.

Councillor Alison Born replied that it would be useful for the Panel to receive further information on this matter in due course and that apprenticeships were a valuable way to bring in staff.

The Assistant Director, Operations added that they could bring further information regarding Occupational Therapist Apprenticeships to the Panel and include information relating to the process for patients to receive equipment or a Disabled Facilities Grant.

The Chair referred to the subject of unpaid carers and co-production and asked what further work can be done to provide support and how best to become aware of the carers that we are not currently aware of.

Councillor Alison Born replied that they do have recent data following the latest census that shows how many people had identified themselves as carers, but felt herself that this was an underestimate. She added that there was more work for the Council to do through the Carer’s Strategy. 

The Chair asked if the Carer’s Strategy would include gathering data from other bodies.

Councillor Alison Born replied that she was sure that it would do and said that she felt that GPs and Schools have a role to play in this process.

The Chair on behalf of the Panel thanked the Cabinet Member for her update.