To note the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI)’s inspection report on services in Herefordshire for people with learning disabilities and consider the Council’s action plan to remedy weaknesses identified in the report.   

(Councillor AE Gray declared a personal interest in this item)

The Committee considered the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI)’s inspection report on services in Herefordshire for people with learning disabilities and the Council’s action plan to remedy weaknesses identified in the report. 

The report to Cabinet on 21st June, had been circulated separately to Members of the Committee.  This incorporated the inspection report, and an action plan in response to the inspection.

The Head of Adult Social Care (Learning Disabilities) presented the report.  She reported that the inspectorate had been very critical of the service.  The overall judgment was that the Council was not serving people with learning disabilities well and that there were uncertain prospects for future improvement.

The review by the Committee, the Council’s own needs analysis and the inspectorate’s report meant that the issues the Council faced were well known.  The key now was taking action to address them.

The Council had been slow to implement the Valuing People policy agenda and could not demonstrate an inclusive approach.  The Council itself, for example did not employ anyone with a learning disability.  This did not show leadership especially when it was trying to encourage other employers to offer opportunities. 

The Council had been found not to be promoting independence sufficiently.  The most severe criticism was about the number of people who had not had an annual review of their needs.  The Council had therefore not been sufficiently sensitive to how needs might have changed and a person’s ability to live independently.  The position was improving and it was intended to have cleared the backlog by October 2007.

She then referred to the Council’s action plan reporting that the recommendations had been prioritised.  She drew attention to the following points in particular:

·         In relation to social inclusion issues all Council departments were being asked to make a contribution.

·         A wider range of services were needed for service users and carers.  Although on the face of it the service was reasonably well resourced, resources were tied up in high cost residential placements.  Services had not been developed as other local authorities had dome.  There was a clear need to change the model of service.

·         Healthcare needs were not sufficiently well addressed.

·         The transition of young people to adulthood needed to have a much smoother pathway, planned at a much earlier stage.  There had to be provision for advocacy services at the transition stage.

·         There was a need for improved quality standards and assurance.

In conclusion she said that the inspection’s focus had been on outcomes and how the Council had facilitated independent living.  Services needed to be reshaped with investment in extra social work staff to ensure the Council could assess and review needs.  The amount of supported accommodation needed to be increased.  The number of service users taking up the Direct Payments option also needed to be increased to provide more choice and flexibility. 

In the course of discussion the following principal points were made:

·         The importance of assessments of needs was noted.

·         The action plan was welcomed.

·         The role of the voluntary sector was discussed.  It was noted that whilst the voluntary sector had a big role in delivering services the Council remained responsible.

·         The Director of Adult and Community Services reported that in response to comments in the inspection about the pressure on senior management and the capacity to implement strategic change he had created a new Head of Service Post and a change manager post. 

It was requested that the seminar on the budget that had been requested should be widened to include an overview of the Directorate and the Council’s statutory responsibilities for adult social care.

RESOLVED:

That    (a)        the report be noted and a further report monitoring progress against the action plan made to the Committee in October;

                        and

            (b)       the budget seminar for Members as requested by the Committee during consideration of the budget should also include an overview of the Directorate and the Council’s statutory responsibilities for adult social care.