Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Adult Social Care

Forward Plan Ref: 2016/104

Contact: Benedict Leigh, Strategic Commissioner – Adults Tel: 07554 115683

Report by Deputy Director for Joint Commissioning (CA8).

Cabinet are asked to consider the results of the public consultation on the proposed model and options for daytime support in Oxfordshire, and the recommended way forward. Cabinet are asked to recommend the County Council’s future funding of daytime support and approach to delivering this, for a final decision by Council on 14 February as part of the broader budget-setting process.

Daytime support helps many older people, people with dementia, people with learning disabilities and people with physical disabilities to live independent and fulfilling lives, and is currently used by about 2000 people in Oxfordshire. It ranges from community lunch clubs to specialist centre-based support for people with complex needs.

A proposed model and options were put to public consultation, following the review of daytime support for people aged over 18 in Oxfordshire. This review started in March 2016, and focused on understanding the needs of vulnerable people for daytime support, specifically support to meet eligible care needs and support that prevents care needs escalating. Its purpose was to help the council to develop future options for daytime support to ensure it is fit for the future and sustainable over the longer term, in a challenging financial context.

The overall proposed model for daytime support is: support for people to live well in their local communities; open access, tailored support for more vulnerable people; and personal budgets for people with eligible needs. This paper provides the key messages from the public consultation and sets out recommendations for the way forward.

Subject to full Council making appropriate provision with the 2017/18 Budget and Medium Term Plan to 2020/21 Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)       consider the results of the consultation;

(b)      agree to adopt the proposals outlined in this document for community and voluntary support;

(c)       agree to adopt option A (the building based option) for delivery of the Community Support Service;

(d)      agree the charges for the Community Support Service and the method of charging as set out in paragraphs 82 and 83 above.

Recommendations agreed.

Cabinet considered a report that asked them to consider the results of the public consultation on the proposed model and options for daytime support in Oxfordshire, and the recommended way forward. Cabinet were asked to recommend the County Council’s future funding of daytime support and approach to delivering this, for a final decision by Council on 14 February as part of the broader budget-setting process.

Rachael Scott-Hunter spoke against the proposals and submitted a petition in support of stopping the closure of day support centres. She referred to her experience as a parent caring for a dependent adult daughter and the importance to her of Kidlington Day Centre which was a totally safe space and respected her needs. Changes will bring about anxiety, stress and challenging behaviours. Mrs Scott-Hunter referred to the intention behind direct payments to ensure greater control for users over how care support needs are met. They were to meet needs innovatively and creatively and should not be used to direct users to one provider. She queried the legal soundness of the recommendations and asked Cabinet to reconsider.

Ted Cooper resident of Witney, expressed the disquiet around users of his local centre in Witney. He stated that they had not been directly consulted and there were particular concerns around transport. He believed that some elderly people would not be able to manage the online registration process and that booking a seat a week in advance was not practicable. Councillor Heathcoat in response to a comment about the registration charge stated that there would not be a £100 charge.

Maggie Swain, Chair of the October Club Management Committee emphasised the value of the small local groups particularly for those with Alzheimer’s/dementia who would struggle with transport and responded better in a smaller less busy environment. She asked that Clubs such as hers be seen as a financial investment in helping people to remain at home.

Councillor Hannaby, local councillor for Grove & Wantage, expressed pleasure that Wantage was to retain its day centre. She commented that she had made the suggestion that Centres could amalgamate some time ago. Councillor Hannaby whilst sorry that the review was necessary in light of government funding cuts she recognised that people with eligible needs would have those needs met. Her concern was for those on personal budgets or self funders. She added that transport needed more work to clarify how it would work in practice. She was pleased that there would be additional funding during the transition period.

Councillor Janet Godden, Liberal Democrat Group spokesperson on adult social care spoke together on Agenda Items 8 & 9 and this is recorded at Minute 4/17 above – Petitions and Public Address.

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care spoke against the proposals commenting that the discussion had been around options for cuts . Having lived with austerity since 2010 the Council behaved as if reducing the budget was the only option. Having said that officers had worked hard and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7