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Division(s): All

ITEM EX8

EXECUTIVE – 11 NOVEMBER 2003

ANNUAL REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE: SOCIAL & HEALTH CARE

Report by Director for Social & Health Care

Summary

  1. The Social Services Inspectorate (SSI) carry out an Annual Review Meeting in each council with Social Services responsibilities. Following on from the Review meeting, the Inspectorate sends the Council a letter with an Annual Review of Performance. The 2003 Annual Review letter for Oxfordshire (reproduced in Annex 1 highlights significant improvements since the last Annual Review, particularly in Children’s Services. There are still, however, a number of concerns about performance, especially in Services for Adults. The Senior Management Team for Social & Health Care have been aware of these performance issues and are addressing them systematically.

    2. Background

  2. The SSI’s Annual Review of Performance of Social Services draws on evidence from a number of sources for 2003. These include:

    • the published PAF Performance Indicators and other statistical data;

    • monitoring information from the Position Statement completed in June and October 2002 and the Delivery and Improvement Statement completed in May 2003;

    • the Audit of Services to Children in Need carried out in response to the report of the Victoria Climbié Inquiry;

    • the report of an SSI Inspection of Children’s Services published in September 2002.

  1. There is a requirement on councils with Social Services responsibilities to report the Annual Review of Performance to the Executive and simultaneously to make a copy of the letter and report available to the Council’s Auditor and to NHS partner organisations. It is also used as part of the admissible evidence in helping the Department of Health determine the Star Ratings which will be confirmed in November 2003.

    2. Annual Review of Performance 2002 – 2003

  2. The SSI found in its Annual Review of Oxfordshire that considerable progress had been made in improving performance since the last Annual Review. The letter notes the particular improvement in Services for Children and Families. This was confirmed when Oxfordshire was one of only three authorities in the south east of England to receive the top grade for Services to Children in Need as a result of the audit carried out in response to the Victoria Climbié Inquiry in May 2003.

  3. The report also highlights improvements in Services to Adults. The success of the Pooled Budget with Primary Care Trusts for the purchase of Services for Older People and People with Physical Disabilities is particularly noted.

  4. The SSI also noted areas where there was concern about performance and these are identified separately for both Children and Families and Adult Services. Each of the areas for improvement are already identified as performance issues within the Directorate. The attached Action Plan (Annex 2 (download as .rtf file) shows how this is being handled.

  5. The Performance Monitoring systems we now have in place within the Directorate shows that we are making good progress on most of the areas highlighted for improvement in the Annual Review letter. Where performance is still an issue, further work is being undertaken to understand why, together with proposals for remedial action.

  6. The report reflects the hard work that managers and staff within the Directorate have undertaken during 2002/03. It is also a tribute to the numerous not-for-profit an private contractors who between them now deliver over 70% of the Social & Health Care services to the people of Oxfordshire.

    7. Financial Implications

  7. It is clearly important that the budget for the Directorate is aligned in such a way that it can deal with the performance issues raised in the Annual Review letter. The Commissioning Strategy that has been produced for 2004/05 will enable us to do this. The service options and priorities expenditure proposals for 2004/05 are consistent with the issues raised in the Annual Review letter.

    8. RECOMMENDATION

  8. The Executive is RECOMMENDED to receive the report from the Social Services Inspectorate and to endorse the action being taken by the officers to address the areas of under-performance.

CHARLES WADDICOR
Director for Social & Health Care

Background Papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Director for Social & Health Care, Tel: (01865) 816041

November 2003

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