Agenda item

Councillor Alison Born introduced the report to the Panel said that she recognised how important the provision of respite care was. She gave an assurance that Newton House would remain open until a needs assessment had been carried out. She added that the Council was working with a representative of three of the current families to help shape what will be needed in the future. She informed the Panel that the intention is to submit to them a further report in June that will contain clear recommendations for the next steps.

The Director of Adult Social Care said that an all age strategy on respite care would ultimately be arranged and that they would provide the families with regular updates. She stated that there is no intention to stop the current service without an alternative being in place.

She explained that three options were currently being considered:

1.  Continue the current service provided by Dimensions.

2.  Establish an internal service.

3.  Go out to market for the service to be provided.

She said that officers have been tasked with developing an options appraisal and to then share this with representatives of the families. She added that once their feedback had been received the options appraisal would be shared with everyone. She stated that she expected two meetings to take place with family representatives, one in April and one in May. She said that the quality of the provision and the resources involved would be key in making a decision.

She said that a timetable of meetings would be put in place and stated that the Council will continue to fulfil its duties under the Care Act.

The Chair asked for confirmation that the services provided at Newton House will not be stopped immediately in January 2026 should alternative provision still being sought.

The Director of Adult Social Care replied that she believed that additional time would be given by the current provider if required.

Kevin Burnett asked if the options being considered were comparable to the current provision.

The Director of Adult Social Care replied that it was clear that this needs to be a local service within B&NES and that if needed discussions about an alternative site would take place.

Councillor Hardman asked if she felt that the needs of the families were being taken into consideration.

Wendy Lucas replied that she felt their needs were understood, but concerns remain over the timeline. She said that their children have complex needs and that it would likely take months for all parties to be sure that the provision is right, should it have to change.

She explained that for a previous change in provision it took her child six months to feel comfortable. She added that parents / carers would need to be able to visit / access the site at short notice and therefore the location must be within B&NES.

She said that she was aware that the provision must be cost effective and acknowledged that future recipients of the service should also be taken into account. She added that they understand the financial constraints, but stressed that the pressure on the families is real.

The Director of Adult Social Care said that there is no intention to have this provision outside of B&NES and that she had not seen an increase in respite needs at the current time.

Councillor Onkar Saini asked if all the service users of Newton House had now been reassessed and what lessons have been learnt since this process began in January.

The Director of Adult Social Care replied that all 17 service users had been assessed and that they were working through their respective needs. She added that they had learnt that appropriate communication with the families is vital and that they need to consult before making such decisions in the future.

Councillor Alison Born agreed with point raised about communication and said that the original letter about the end / change in provision should not have been sent. She added that the Assistant Director for Operations & Safeguarding has been appointed as the lead contact.

The Director of Adult Social Care said that it was important to make sure that families of children approaching the age of 18 were aware of services they can access as they transition into Adult Services.

Councillor Lesley Mansell commented that better engagement has to be encouraged, and the quality of service must be maintained.

The Panel RESOLVED to agree that an update report on the progress of the Respite Care review, including the needs analysis, is submitted to them in June 2025.

The Chair thanked everyone for their contributions on this matter and said the Panel should receive a further update at their meeting on 14^th June.