Apologies were received from Mrs T Huffer, Mr D Minnery and Mrs C Motley.  Mrs V Parry substituted for Mrs Huffer.

Members were reminded that they must not participate in the discussion or voting on any matter in which they had a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on 30 March 2015 and 14 May 2015 as a correct record.

The minutes of the meetings held on 30 March 2015 and 14 May 2015 were confirmed as a correct record. 

To receive any questions, statements or petitions of which members of the public have given notice.  Deadline for notification is 4.00 pm on Wednesday 24 June 2015.

There were no questions from Members of the Public.

To receive any questions of which Members of the Council have given notice.  Deadline for notification is 4.00 pm on Wednesday 24 June 2015.

There were no questions from Members of the Council.

To consider a report (to follow) back to the Committee on the Performance Measures identified by the Member Working Group to provide a comprehensive view of the impact and progress of the Adult Social Care New Operating Model, using the available data for Quarter 4 2014 – 2015.

Also consideration is an update report (to follow) on Complaints for Adult Social Care to Quarter 4 2014 – 2015, as requested by the Committee at its meeting on 9 February 2015

To agree that the Member Working Group reconvenes in Autumn 2015 on publication of the Adult Social Care Survey results

Members considered a report (copy attached to the signed minutes) which outlined the headline points demonstrated by the Performance Measures developed with the help of the Committee’s Member Working Group. These had been designed to provide a comprehensive view of the impact and progress of the Adult Social Care New Operating Model, using the data for Quarter 4 2014 – 2015 and would help identify areas the Committee might wish to scrutinise further.

The following areas came under particular questioning and discussion:

Recording of contacts – officers confirmed that it was possible to identify if a person made contact again with the Council after the two week follow up call back. Once a contact was made beyond two months of the original call it was recorded as a separate episode.  Two thirds of contacts were resolved by the First Point of Contact or through a conversation. 

Waiting list – it was confirmed that there was a 28 day referral process.  The need for assessment was often driven by a person’s capital reduction prompting a need for reassessment.  The significant majority of requests for support were addressed following one contact.  It was felt that this demonstrated that the new operating model and call back at two weeks was helping the majority of people access the support they required. 

Form filling – some Members reported that they had heard that some forms were very complex but officers explained that one intention of the New Operating Model was that form filling should be proportional to the activity requested.  However, forms around financial assessment were more complex, and particularly if there was any delay in submitting a declaration of resources.

Activity by Month – the rise in assessments shown in November – January time coincided with the hospital winter pressures and increased strain on the system.  The Committee was concerned to note that this pressure had continued following the winter and not reduced since.  The Chair reported on the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s intention to scrutinise reasons for delayed transfers of care, and measures taken to alleviate these, at a meeting in the Autumn.

Presenting Issue – most significant areas included personal care needs and reduced mobility and these were related to Shropshire’s older population. 

Routes of Access – Members noted that accessing services following discharge from hospital  looked low for 2014/15 but data from the Integrated Community Service would be included next time and it was likely the figures would be higher.  Following a discussion on access to Mental Health services, the Chairman reported on work of undertaken by the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in relation to mental health.

Service delivery following assessment – Officers explained that the chart represented average days per patient and that ‘STMI’ meant ‘short term maximum independence’, ie the Integrated Community Service.  These figures were linked to pressures in hospital and would come under the consideration of the Joint HOSC in the Autumn. 

All present acknowledged that less time in hospital led  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To share the responses made to NHS Trust Quality Accounts and identify any issues for potential scrutiny attention. 

Feedback from Quality Account meetings had been circulated to the Committee (copy attached to the signed minutes).  It was confirmed that the finalised Quality Accounts would be circulated to Members once available. 

Members who had attended the meeting with SSSFT highlighted their concern around the CAMHS service being separate from adult mental health services.  This appeared to be for historical reasons and it was agreed to write to the Health and Wellbeing Board and CCG to question whether these reasons were still relevant.  Several Members reported of schools being frustrated with long waits for referrals to CAMHS and teachers having to deal with extremely complex cases they were not qualified to deal with.

To appoint a Member of the Health and Adult Social Care Committee from the Conservative Group to replace Councillor Simon Jones on the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED:  that Councillor John Cadwallader be appointed to the Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Chairman has asked for the most recent response time performance information for Shropshire to be circulated with the agenda. 

The Chairman had asked that the most recent West Midlands Ambulance Service response time performance information be circulated with the agenda.  Members of the Committee received this information on a monthly basis outside of formal meetings.

The Committee’s current work programme is attached for comment.  The Cabinet Forward Plan is available from the link below 

http://shropshire.gov.uk/committee

Proposals for the Committee’s work programme had been circulated to Members (a copy is attached to the signed minutes).

A Member suggested that the Scrutiny Committee should identify how the changes made in Adult Social Care translated into the savings required by the Council.  Other Members emphasised the need for the Committee to focus on how the changes were impacting on service users. 

The Chairman reported that he was currently looking into issues around tackling obesity to identify if scrutiny attention in this area would be helpful

The Committee noted that final guidance around Care Bill implementation on 1 April 2016 was expected October time, and a report would be provided to Members at that time.