To receive apologies for absence (to include reasons, where appropriate) from Members /Officers.

Apologies for absence were received from the following Members for the reasons so stated:

Councillor N Clarke – Holiday

Councillor P A Davies – Unwell

Councillor P J White - Holiday.   

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including Whipping Declarations)

Councillor E Venables declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 5 – The Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014, Including Eligibility Criteria and Supporting Vulnerable People Update as her Aunt receives Meals at Home and she has power of attorney and technically pay half towards this service.  Councillor Venables withdrew from the meeting during consideration of the Meals at Home service.  Councillor Venables declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – The Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014, Including Eligibility Criteria and Supporting Vulnerable People Update as her Mother is a recipient of the Telecare service. 

Councillor D Sage - declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – The Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014, Including Eligibility Criteria and Supporting Vulnerable People Update as he is a recipient of services which are the subject of the Eligibility Criteria.      

To receive for approval, the minutes of the meeting of the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 22 June 2015.

RESOLVED:              That the minutes of the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 22 June 2015 were approved as a true and accurate record.   

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report which detailed the items to be considered at the next meeting of the Committee and sought confirmation of the information and invitees required.   

Conclusions:                  

The Committee noted the items to be considered at its meeting on 11 November 2015 and the invitees to attend the meeting of the Committee on 13 January 2016.   

Invitees:

Cllr P White - Cabinet Member Adult Social Care Health and Wellbeing

Darren Mepham - Chief Executive 

Jackie Davies - Head of Adult Social Care

Carmel Donovan - Integrated Community Services Manager

Ian Oliver - Group Manager, Commissioning and Transformation

The Scrutiny Officer introduced the report on the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014 which provided an update on the new National Eligibility Criteria and the process which will be applied to all people requiring managed care and support services; and updates on Supporting Vulnerable People and the Meals at Home service. 

The Head of Adult Social Care reported that Cabinet at its meeting on 3 February 2015 approved a proposal to raise the Council’s eligibility criteria from moderate to that of substantial and critical subject to consultation.  She stated that Cabinet at its meeting on 16 June 2015 received a report on the progress against the consultation events that were carried out on the proposed change.  She highlighted the stakeholder groups which been engaged and received presentations on the new Act and Eligibility Criteria.  

The Head of Adult Social Care informed the Committee of the new National Eligibility Criteria which was made up of two parts, the first of which was to assess if care and support intervention can address the need, risk or barrier or enhance the resources that will enable the individual to achieve their personal wellbeing outcomes.  The second part of the process is the determination that the individual’s wellbeing outcomes cannot be met, or cannot be sufficiently be met, solely through care and support co-ordinated by themselves, their family or carer or others.  She stated that the interim arrangements pending the national Eligibility Criteria proposed had been implemented.  The new eligibility criteria would be applied to all people requiring managed care and support services.   

The Head of Adult Social Care outlined to the Committee how the Council supports and funds a range of third sector agencies to support people within the community through prevention and wellbeing services. 

The Head of Adult Social Care informed the Committee of the work being undertaken across the Western Bay Community Services Board which had seen the development of an intermediate care team known as the Community Resource Team, made up of health and social care staff.  This team delivers short term interventions that address needs at a time of personal crisis or when people’s needs change, with the aim of maximising recovery and ongoing independence.  She stated that the Regional Board was currently finalising a formal legal agreement known as a Section 33 agreement which would be a pooled fund arrangement across health and social care.  The financial contribution to the Pooled Fund arrangement will be £2,145,000 from BCBC and £2,187,043 from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board with a total pooled indicative value of £4,332,043. 

The Head of Adult Social Care informed the Committee of case studies and comments received from users of the Community Resource Team. 

The Head of Adult Social Care also informed the Committee of the work being undertaken to re-model the Meals at Home service. 

The Committee referred to the categories used to assess service users in relation to eligibility criteria and requested definitions for each category.  The Committee also questioned what had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

To consider any items of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.