To advise the Committee of the financial position for Adult Social Care and Strategic Housing revenue budgets for the period to 30^th September 2010. The report lists the variations against budget at this stage in the year and a projected outturn for the year.

The Committee received a report on the financial position for Adult Social Care and Strategic Housing revenue budgets for the period to 30^th September 2010.

The Principal Accountant reported that the forecast outturn for September was predicting a £3.81m overspend for Adult Social Care, which was as a result of a number of factors.   There had been an increase in domiciliary care packages approved for older people, as well as an increase in both residential and nursing care packages.  There had been a marked increase in domiciliary care hours for those with Learning Disabilities, which amounted to a 25% increase on the previous year.   In Mental Health there was also an increase in domiciliary care, and as some intensive care packages with an expensive provider.  These would be reviewed on a regular basis.

The Interim Director of Adult Social Care reported that a number of initiatives were being undertaken as part of the £2m recovery plan; £1m had been achieved to date. Projects had been reviewed and would be expected to improve standards and be financially benefit to the Local Authority and the user before they were approaved.  Reablement was an important aspect of the overall scheme, and the increase in integrated budgets would target reablement care, which could be delivered from the localities.  It was critical, however, that the resource was managed carefully.

She went on to say that Safeguarding was a significant issue, and it was important that this was in place so that the Service could work with individuals with individualised budgets. There were a large number of providers in the market place, and it was important that they should be integrated into the Safeguarding framework.

Savings from the Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) had been put on hold until there was sufficient data available for the Interim Director to have confidence in the level of savings that were to be had.

In the ensuing discussion, the following points were made:

• That there would be a more effective Panel process in order to ensure that processes and procedures for charging were

·          That the Council did want to encourage the uptake of Personal Budgets, and the Government had set a target that all people in social care should be on a Personal Budget by 1 April 2013.  That the Council had set it’s Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) criteria at Critical and Substantial, and it was important that the resource system should be consistent with eligibility.

·          That is should be clear as to who people are who were coming through to Adult Social Care from Children’s Services, and what the nature of their needs where and the costs of their care packages.

·          That the overall position of the budget for people with learning disabilities was being considered, in order to ensure that sustainable measures were being put in place to support the needs of the users.

·          That it would be ensured that the resources for reablement were being utilised to their fullest extent, as therapeutic care helped to maximise the independence of patients.

·          More care would be taken in the future regarding what services would be commissioned, and from which organisations.  Savings of £300k were required from the Shaw Healthcare contract, for example.  The market had not yet been stimulated in order to get providers to work in a different way and ensure savings could be made.

• The Interim Director of Adult Social Care replied to a question and said that it was important that the number of personalised budgets should be increased, as every user would need to be on one by April 2013.  There was a significant cost with learning disability packages, and these would need to be reviewed.  It was important that Children’s Services should make the Service aware of the number and nature of clients coming from that Service on a regular basis, and what the care packages would cost.

• The Cabinet Member (Older People and Social Care, Adults) stated that the relationship between Adult Social Care and Children’s Services had been exhaustively discussed, but it was unclear as to whether any notice had been taken of these discussions by Children’s Services.  Transitions from Children’s Services were a major issue, and she felt particularly aggrieved about the situation that had arisen.

RESOLVED:

THAT:

                     (a)          the report be noted; and;

(b)                   the delivery of the recovery plan to mitigate the level of overspend would take place.