The joint report of the Strategic Director of Health & Wellbeing and the Bradford and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Strategic Director, Staying Well at Home (Document “M”) provides an update on the Council and CCG’s jointly commissioned Carer Service within Bradford District and Craven.

This report provides information on the emerging needs of unpaid carers as a result of COVID-19 impacts.

Members are requested to consider and comment on the report.

(Tony Sheeky – 01274 433559)

The joint report of the Strategic Director of Health & Wellbeing and the Bradford and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) Strategic Director, Staying Well at Home (Document “M”) provided an update on the Council and CCG’s jointly commissioned Carer Service within Bradford District and Craven and on the emerging needs of unpaid carers as a result of COVID-19 impacts.

Appended to Document “M” were Carers Service Outputs April 2019 to March 2020 and a Member questioned the low levels of young carers supported. In response it was explained that figures provided were from the Adult Carers Service and a Young Carers service was funded separately by Children’s Services.

It was queried if Members were being asked to consider the re-commissioning of a Carers Service in the district.  For the benefit of Members who were not on the Committee last year it was confirmed that the report was to provide an update on the service following the report on recommissioning considered in November 2019.  It was further clarified that the contract had already been awarded for a three-year period with an option to extend.

The report detailed a small grants budget process to create additional opportunities for carers more likely to have poorer mental health.  The outcomes of that funding and the type of opportunities grants supported were questioned.  Members were advised that the grants outlined in the report were a new service provided in response to the Mental Health Needs Assessment and were in addition to the small grants process available for recreation and leisure.  The process to distribute those awards was on-going and awards had not yet been granted.  Examples of ways in which that support could be utilised were discussed and included financial support to purchase therapies. 

In response to questions it was clarified that the £100,000 budget small grants process referred to in the report was for Voluntary Community Services (VCS) to provide additional services and that there was separate funding available to individual carers.

A Member referred to a previous small grants payment from the Carers’ Resource and it was confirmed that this was a separate process to the grants being discussed and that this was still available to careers.

It was questioned how long the average waiting time for carers to receive support would be and for how long after a cared for person passed away was support available to their previous carers.  In response it was reported that the average waiting time for support was one week from referral and carers would be supported for up to two years following bereavement. 

In addition to support for carers it was questioned if the service could provide support for those being cared for and it was explained that work was on-going to consider work which could be provided through the Care Act.   That review was being undertaken by officers including the Clinical Commissioning Group; Public Health; commissioning staff and service providers.

The Chief Executive Officer, Carers’ Resource clarified that her organisation sign posted to many other services to allow people to self-refer.

The report revealed that work was currently underway to review the pathway for Care Act assessments for unpaid carers.  The work was being undertaken by a multi-disciplinary group of Council officers including operational staff and was in direct response to carer feedback in which they expressed low levels of confidence and value in Care Act assessments. 

It was envisaged that the review would result in an increase in the number of carers assessments being undertaken; improved support plans for both carers and the cared for; better planned crisis support and increased joined up work with NHS and community services.  In response to the Assistant Director, Operational Services, stating that Councillor support would be welcomed Councillors expressed an interest in becoming involved. 

Members questioned if there had been any progress in establishing consistency across the care home sector regarding visits and, whilst that topic was outside of the scope of the report, it was explained that work to develop national and local guidance in a COVID safe manner was on going. 

The Overview and Scrutiny Lead reported that consistency in visits had been raised with her colleagues on the West Yorkshire Scrutiny Committee and a cross boundary response was being considered.  She agreed to keep Members updated on that issue.

A Member suggested that the availability of 10,000 testing kits could be utilised to test people and one named visitor to allow visits to be maintained.

Officers were commended for including case studies within the report which Members had found useful. 

It was agreed that to allow the impact of measures developed to alleviate the impact of COVID-19 to be evidenced, and to compare the situation between the previous year and current years, a progress report be requested in six months-time. That statement was qualified with a request that if there were any dramatic changes a report be presented to Members immediately.

Resolved –

That a further update report be presented to the Committee in six months time.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Health and Wellbeing