Agenda item

The Panel will have an opportunity to ask questions to the Cabinet Member and to receive an update on any current issues.

The Chairman invited Jane Shayler (Programme Director for Non-Acute Health, Social Care and Housing) to give an update in the absence of Councillor Simon Allen (Cabinet Member for Wellbeing).

Jane Shayler took the Panel through the update (attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes).  In addition to the update Jane Shayler brought to the Panel some changes in governance arrangements within Avon and Wiltshire Partnership Mental Health Trust (AWP) which were covered in local news.  The Chair of the AWP stepped down and was replaced with the deputy Chair whilst the Chief Executive is on a period of leave and has been replaced on interim basis by the Deputy Chief Executive.  The Council will be watching the developments in the governance of the AWP.

The Panel made the following points:

The Chairman said that the commitment for the Carers Week is excellent and congratulated the Carers Week initiative.  The Chairman also said that he was impressed with the quality account from the AWP which highlights the initiatives for carers and the Council should pick up on it.

Councillor Jackson expressed her concern that the cuts are already affecting respite care.  Councillor Jackson asked if there was any information how widespread this is.

Jane Shayler said that initiatives for carers in AWP quality accounts are not just Wiltshire based but they are for BANES as well.  In terms of the concerns on cuts in respite – the reverse is true.  There has been further investment from some of the money transferred from the PCT to Local Authority under Section 256 Agreement.  Some of that money was invested to support respite care, additional carer support and additional domiciliary care support.  Jane Shayler confirmed that there were no cuts in respite care.  What may be the case is that respite care was being accessed frequently by a relatively small number of people, meaning that some other people were not able to access respite at all.  There has been additional investment and, also, a redistribution, which has helped to address a potential inequity.  Jane Shayler accepted that for some people, this may mean they are not able to access respite quite as often as they have been used to.

Councillor Jackson said that this message is not getting out and it should be somewhere explaining this to clients.  Councillor Jackson asked what can be done on passing this message to clients.

Jane Shayler said that she will raise this with the carers centre and Council/PCT joint carers lead so they can continue to work on raising the awareness.

The Chairman suggested that simple explanation to those clients who felt that they would be affected by cuts should be most appropriate way to do it.

Councillor Jackson said that 16,000 carers is the figure that we have and asked if that was under-estimate of how many carers we have, given the demography of Bath.  Councillor Jackson also asked what we do about children carers supporting their parents.

Jane Shayler said that 16,000 carers may be an under-estimate as some people might not view themselves as carers.  Jane Shayler also said that she would have to come back with an answer on how many children carers supporting their parents are in BANES and what we do are doing to support them as responsibility for supporting young carers sits with Children’s Services and Jane does know sufficient detail of what is available to provide a full response to Councillor Jackson’s enquiry.

Councillor Curran said that there are services in the Council to help and support young carers.

Councillor Jackson congratulated officers on working together with the Care Quality Commission in bringing two care homes which had had bad reports up to the appropriate standards.

It was RESOLVED to note the update.