The Report of the Strategic Director of Health and Wellbeing (Document “B”), sets out a draft of the new 5-year Commissioning Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy for comment and discussion.

Recommended –

That Document “B” be noted.

(Jane Wood – 07970 273682)

The Report of the Strategic Director of Health and Wellbeing (Document “B”), set out a draft of the new 5-year Commissioning Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy for comment and discussion.

The Strategic Director, Keeping Well at Home was in attendance and accompanied by the Assistant Director, Integration and Transition and the Service Manager – Strategic Commissioning. At invitation of the Chair, the officers gave a monologue of the report to the committee. It was explained that the previous Commissioning Strategy for 2019 – 2021 had now ended. However, at present, the recent expansion of the Commissioning and Contracts team, the decision had been taken to set-out a 5-year strategy which focused on the way the service would work. The new Commissioning and Contract Strategy as still under development, and had been brought to this meeting for comment and feedback prior to completion. A draft of the Strategy as attached as Appendix A. Once consultation on the Strategy had been completed, a final version would be shared with the Committee for information. Service Plans and Commissioning Intentions would be developed each year to set out specific activity, linked back to the principles set out in the new Strategy.

To complete the introductory oration, a PowerPoint presentation on the focus of “Adult Social Care Commissioning Strategy 2022 – 2027: The Ways We Will Work” was provided, detailing the following work themes: -

Following a synopsis of the report, a question and answer session ensued:

·         What did the service provision have in mind when the matter of significant changes would be addressed?

o   An average example of the work being addressed involved big ideas on things that were based on previous localities work and an idea for wellbeing teams where the staff on the ground self-managed teams, for control over their own responsibilities.

o   Also taking into account long term support, which currently remained a significant factor. It was a new way of thinking / establishing service but this was something that would not be achievable from commencement but to build on as time goes by;

·         How would services be commissioned within care homes containing a diverse background of people and how would access to community services be conducted in light of the added costs?

o   Connecting with communities did not always mean going out to use community services but to formulating new strategies for the purpose of bringing the community into care homes in order to minimise costs. This process entailed an integrated approach so that the community did not astray from care homes either. There was a limited workforce which would result in huge challenges, however, the service would consider more efficient ways in working with people and better connecting with providers at the same time;

·         In relation to allocation of activities who would be the person supporting people coming in?

o   This part of the function was a big piece of work going on in response to the changing reforms that were to be released by October 2023. People that did not reach out to the council to get support in our homes would end up coming to the council for specific services and only then allocation of work would be identified; and,

·         What work was being undertaken for the purpose of ease of transitioning from one pathway to another?

o   A document was in circulation, shared between Children’s Services and the Health & Wellbeing Service for that gave guidance on the transitioning protocol. This valuable source of information was for people with a physical disability, learning disability, mental health or autism and diversity. The document gave information to various pathways for each service. Furthermore, Services had agreed to conduct audits on some cases to establish whether any issues had occurred and then to ensure that the transitioning process was an efficient pathway for all stakeholders.

Succeeding the latter, the committee made the following observations:

·              Technology was also an area that would need to be addressed for the purpose of streamlining mechanisms to meet highest standards;

·              It was important to promote and develop all mechanisms in a more simplified process so that people could access the required services;

·              It was paramount that feedback directly from people’s experiences were listened to and heard as there were lots of opportunities in the commissioning team area of work;

·              That to ensure colleagues throughout the district and across the whole system were on the same page. This could also be achieved through partnership arrangement working with Bradford’s NHS acute trusts; and,

·              A further area that required development was the whole of the adult social care department and therefore a more real time feedback should be focused on in order to establish whether the provisions were of a high standard.

To conclude, the Chair thanked officers for the detailed report and the PowerPoint presentation.

Resolved: -

That as part of its development officers be requested to take into account the comments of Members on the draft 5-year Commissioning and Contracts Strategy.

Action: Strategic Director, Health and Wellbeing