Agenda item

Members were presented with an update on the progress of Doncaster’s Strategic Health and Social Care Plans.  The presentation focused on three high level strategic plans; the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Sustainability and Transformation Plan, the Doncaster Place Plan and the council’s Adult Health & Wellbeing Transformation Programme.

It was explained in the presentation that the vision was that ‘people are able to look after their own health and wellbeing, but knows that support is always available from (us) and the community’.   Members were reminded of the several projects and their objectives that came under the Transformation Programme and included:

1.         Customer Journey

2.         Community Led Support

3.         Transforming Commissioning

4.         Digital and Technology

5.         Performance Management and Continuous Improvement

6.         Alternative Service Delivery Models

7.         Health and Social Care Integration

Members were informed that there had been a great deal of engagement and communication with the customer to ensure that they were aware of what those projects were.

There was a discussion around Runwood Homes and concern was raised around the issues when transferring of staff to future providers.   It was explained that there needed to be a mixed economy of providers to form an ecosystem of smaller providers such as DomCare that delivered a much wider voluntary and independent type of care.  Comments were made about how we financially enable people and in turn reduce isolation (reference was made to costs of using a befriending service).  It was explained that the purpose of the plan was about reaching people at a much earlier stage before issues escalated.  In terms of volunteering, Members were told that there was a great deal of people wanting to volunteer although there would need to be a support infrastructure in place. It was explained that there was a community led support model that would need to be developed.

It was explained that there was a great deal of work going on in terms of learning disabilities enabling those in long term hospital care to return to the home environment through supported living by the process becoming more person centred and achieving better outcomes.  It was added that there were a number of actions to be done that would improve the offer.  This included considering a joint strategy and that the Council was about to commission supported living

Performance - Members were told that results had improved and were still improving in the following areas:

•               Residential care places – reduced from a high of 1,606 in 15/16 to 1,370 (as at 30th June) and with admissions (over 65s with figs improving).

•               Admissions to residential care lowest since 2011.

•               Direct Payments had increased from 504 to 715 in the past 12 months – it was recognised that the Council had been poor performers in the past, however figures were now improving.

•               Governance was improving and on a positive trajectory reducing from around 80-90 down to around 20.

It was noted that such results demonstrated the best figures for 10 years.  In respect of overspend it was explained that at £469,000 this was a small amount compared to £4.7m in 2015/2016.

It was seen that sickness was still quite high due to higher incidents of certain conditions occurring at certain ages.  Members were informed that work was being undertaken with HR such as sickness absence clinics which had received good feedback and the use of compliments and rewards for good attendance.  It was added there was also a delay in the system in respect of back to work interviews etc. 

It was stated that there had been a significance reduction of people getting into care creating more of a challenge for the provider.  Members were informed that vacancies had increased although not dramatically and that an eye was being kept on the residential care markets as well as other opportunities. In terms of agency staff, it was explained that there was a need for a flexible workforce to cover short term placements.

Place Plan - In respect of the place plan it was explained that they were moving to the implementation stage. 

It was noted that the approach was about trying bring partners and providers to work out how complicated a model was in reality then make it simpler.  It was explained that the model depended on what service was being looked at and where changes had been made.  For example, with falls there was now a single point of access to link in with rapid response to see the person at home for a full health and social care assessment rather than previous outcomes such as ending up in Accident and Emergency.

In terms of making efficiencies, it was noted that this year there needed to be savings of £11m and then next year £8m. 

RESOLVED that the Panel noted the information presented.