Accessibility links

1
Language selection

Agenda item

To receive announcements by the Leader

Minutes:

Members will have seen the latest coronavirus rates, and how extremely serious the situation has become on a national scale across our entire health and social care system.

 

The council is experiencing unprecedented pressures across all services, but especially in areas such as adult and children’s social care, early help, children’s safeguarding, and placements.

 

These issues are being particularly effected by the challenges that we face in recruiting and retaining our social care workforce.

 

Our capacity to respond to the need for providing care and support at home is proving to be especially challenging, and as the Cabinet Member – Social Services and Early Help reported to the last meeting of Council, we are currently providing a total of 640 hours per week more than we did when compared to the same period last year.

 

Faced with increasing need to extend existing packages of care and to provide care to more individuals, the key issue remains that residents may be forced to wait for these to become available.

 

The situation continues to be extremely delicate as a consequence of delays in people accessing and receiving NHS treatments, exacerbations of chronic conditions due to long Covid or increased social isolation issues as a result of staying at home, and the impact of all this on family, friends and carers.

 

The social care workforce are tired from the superhuman efforts of the last 18 months, and the risk of burn out and attrition from the sector is very real.

 

I cannot emphasise enough the need to recognise that the situation is now at the most challenging point we have seen throughout the pandemic.

 

Welsh Government ministers recently commented that the entire system will remain under pressure while the pandemic is underway and we are expected to maintain a ‘business as usual’ approach.

 

The health minister went as far as to state that while the situation may level off after October, we will still face our usual winter pressures such as flu and other respiratory viruses which may impact upon the system.

 

However, we are continuing to present a strong response to these challenges.

 

We have Gold, Silver and Bronze level meetings taking place with health board colleagues on a regional level, we are prioritising care on a daily basis and a very detailed set of action plans in place, and we are regularly reviewing, prioritising and co-ordinating essential services at a director and heads-of-service level.

 

Since the last meeting of full Council, a new recruitment drive has been launched for social care workers across areas ranging from home care and the reablement teams to young people’s services.

 

This is linked to the national ‘We Care’ campaign run by Welsh Government and Social Care Wales which is promoting the benefits of working in care, and is also encouraging people to apply for roles within the sector.

 

The recruitment drive focuses on the many benefits of working in this area, and emphasises how full training and support help staff to make a positive difference in the lives of local people.

 

Care worker recruitment features prominently in our action plan, we have re-opened our six residential reablement beds at Bryn Y Cae in Brackla, and we have recruited an additional two new providers into our framework.

 

Our social care rebuild and recovery plan is well developed in line with the Welsh Government Social Care Recovery Framework.

 

We are also in close contact with the whole social care sector and partners, and are continuing to support them in delivering care for the most vulnerable.

 

We want residents who are seeking work, or who may be considering their career options, to understand that social care offers rewarding career opportunities for individuals from all sorts of backgrounds.

 

We want them to realise that having the right values and being positive, caring and motivated are the most important qualities.

 

We are also reminding residents who need information or advice about supporting themselves by accessing the many services available within their communities, which can be done either through the council or our third sector partners.

 

This includes using the council’s Common Access Point for services involving information and advice, the protection of vulnerable adults from harm or neglect, and support for people who care for others.

 

Anyone seeking support around children and families can contact the council’s Information, Advice and Assistance Service team, while our Local Community Coordinators focus upon those whose needs would not usually meet eligibility criteria for care and support.

 

The co-ordinators form an important part of our overall preventative approach to maintaining independence and well-being, as do the many carers whom we continue to support via the Carers Trust South East Wales which includes a 24/7 helpline.

 

Unfortunately, one aspect of the current situation is that it continues to pose a risk around increased complaints and queries via members.

 

This is because a small proportion of people who we support may face delays in meeting their assessed needs, but we are doing all that we can to sensitively and professionally address this under the reality of the circumstances we face.

 

All members can support these efforts by promoting the social care recruitment initiative within our communities, and encouraging people to come forward and find out more.

 

In the meantime, staff are continuing to demonstrate exceptional dedication and determination, and I am sure you will want to join me in thanking them once more for their ongoing efforts.

 

This serious situation recently forced Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health to make changes around hospital visits and the collection of free coronavirus tests.

 

Now, people are currently only able to visit hospitals if a patient is receiving end-of-life care and the visit has been agreed in advance with specialist palliative care in-patient services.

 

For pregnant women, one partner or support person is able to accompany them once they are confirmed as being in labour. This includes the immediate post-natal period prior to them transferring either home or to a postnatal area.

 

One person is able to accompany patients within paediatric and neonatal areas as agreed with clinical teams. However, no visiting is allowed on either the antenatal or postnatal wards.

 

For ultrasound appointments, one partner is allowed to attend the 12 week dating scan, the 20 week anomaly scan and some scans arranged via the early pregnancy service.

 

People attending outpatient appointments must do so alone, but staff will provide support where needed and free Wi-Fi access is available to help people keep in touch with family and friends.

 

The health and safety of patients, visitors and staff must obviously remain a top priority, and I hope that communities throughout Bridgend County Borough will offer their support and understanding during this challenging time.

 

Local vaccination rates remain very high, and we recently broke through the 100,000 barrier for the number of residents who have received both doses of the vaccine.

 

However, it remains vitally important for everyone to keep their guard up against coronavirus, and to do all that we can to stop it from spreading further.

 

As part of the leave no one behind strategy, Anyone aged 16 or over who has not yet received their first vaccination appointment can walk in to a centre and receive one, while people aged over 18 who have already received their first dose can now do the same for their second vaccination.

 

Welsh Government and the health board are currently considering new medical advice on whether the vaccine can be provided to young people aged 12 to 15. They are also considering a proposed booster programme, and we expect to know more details about the arrangements for how both of these will be delivered very soon.

 

There are two groups of children within the 12 to 15 year old group, those who are extremely vulnerable, and those who are not. Cwm Taf Morgannwg have begun to vaccinate the vulnerable, with those falling into the definition expanded by the JCVI on the 3 September being invited to Community Vaccination Centres, including Ravens Court, next week. These children will receive two doses of Pfizer vaccine.

 

On 1 September, JCVI announced that those very vulnerable individuals who are severely immunosuppressed should receive a third dose of vaccine as part of their primary course.  This third dose is recommended to be Pfizer.  The people in this category are being identified either by their clinician or via a self-referral form.  This process is underway and vaccination will begin in community vaccination Centres next week.

 

We continue to work very closely with Cwm Taf Morgannwg on the vaccination programme and as always, I’ll share further details via email as soon as they are finalised.

 

In other news, as part of our commitment towards the UK’s national Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, we have agreed to provide up to three families with safe homes and support, and are waiting for further confirmation on how this will work.

 

It has been heartening to see the overwhelmingly positive response that this has received from residents, and the way in which many have asked how they might offer help and support.

 

We have partnered with the Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations to consider this, and would ask anyone who might be keen to help to visit the BAVO website for more information on what may be required.

 

At this point in time, there is no requirement for items to be donated, but support may be needed with issues such as befriending, companionship, conversational English, showing people around the area, transportation, help with running errands and so on.

 

Later, there is likely to be a need for more specialist services covering areas such as legal matters, tutoring and mentoring, mental and physical health, well-being and more.

 

More information on the scheme and how it will work will soon be known, so look out for further details.

 

Finally, members may want to remind their constituents that dozens of employers and organisations will be exhibiting in Bridgend town centre tomorrow as part of our first outdoor Jobs Fair.

 

The free event, which will be based in various locations including Dunraven Place and Caroline Street, is being held between 10am and 2pm.

 

Organised in partnership with Employability Bridgend and Jobcentre Plus, it will feature free expert advice and support on a range of work, training and volunteering opportunities.

 

Some of the employers who will be taking part include South Wales Police, Avon Cosmetics, First Cymru Buses, G4S, Careers Wales and A & R Cleaning Services as well as MPS Industrial, Rubicon Wales Facilities Management, Harlequin Home Care Ltd and Wilmott Dixon.

 

With a range of temporary and permanent vacancies on offer, the jobs fair is an excellent opportunity for people to find work, change career or access new training, and I am sure it will be a big success.

 

A to Z Search

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z