The report of the Strategic Director of Health and Wellbeing (Document “AG”) outlines the new approach to the delivery of welfare advice services across the district. It includes the details of commissioning processes employed; new service expectations; who the providers are; the transformation of access routes and the intention to raise service quality.

Recommended –

(1)       To accept this report and its contents; allowing time for the new services to embed and commence their change programmes.

(2)       To encourage services to work closely with their ward members and to ensure service access data is up to date for a wide range of stakeholders and referrers.

(Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Sarah Possingham – 01274 431319)

The report of the Strategic Director of Health and Wellbeing (Document “AG”) outlined the new approach to the delivery of welfare advice services across the district. It included the details of commissioning processes employed; new service expectations; who the providers were; the transformation of access routes and the intention to raise service quality.

The Senior Public Health Manager gave a synopsis of the report.

A question and answer session ensued:

·         What was the reason for having a significant amount of sessions in the City Centre as opposed to undertaking sessions within direct community settings?

o   There was a requirement to have a city centre presence;

·         Had the city centre sessions include residents from other areas?

o   Yes. In addition to the residents of the Bradford West area, the city centre base was also an access point for residents from other areas. This service was not limited on a postcode basis but could be utilised by anyone from the Bradford area;

·         What was the length of time for a complete session?

o   Each full meeting entailed 3 sessions with a time slot of one hour per session, or, a full meeting entailing 4 sessions entailing 4 sessions with a time slot of 45 minutes per session;

·         How were sessions serviced out to users?

o   Community centres were able to meet the demand of drop in users and sessions were also delivered through GP Surgeries but on an appointment basis;

·         What was the level of demand for the service?

o   To give a positive indication, telephone calls from users wishing to access the service had increased from 50 to 600;

During the discussion the Committee made the following comments:

·         It was paramount that provisions were placed in communities to serve and benefit local residents who would find it difficult to get to the city centre;

·         There were many residents who were unable to afford bus fares and there for it was necessary to provide sessions in easy accessible community settings;

o   In response to comments, the Senior Public Health Manager confirmed that after a period of time the service would be reviewed to established whether sessions had been utilised properly by users and in which operational area the service could be improved.

Resolved –

(1)       That the report be noted and time be allowed for the new services to embed and commence with their change programmes.

(2)       That it be encouraged for services to work closely with the Bradford West Ward Members and to ensure service access data is up to date for a wide range of stakeholders and referrers.

(3)       That an update report be brought back to the Bradford West Area Committee in 12 months time in relation to "the take up of welfare advice provision in the Bradford West Area". That the report further includes a breakdown on a Ward basis of the numbers of clients form the Bradford West area using the Welfare Advice Services in comparison to other constituencies.

(4)       That service providers be thanked for their commitments towards the Welfare Advice Services in the Bradford District.

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: Corporate

ACTION:       Strategic Director – Health and Wellbeing