Jacqueline Davies, Head of Adult Social Care

Carmel Donovan, Group Manager Older People

Michelle King, Integrated Community Services Manager

Councillor Philip White, Cabinet Member - Adult Social Care and Health & Wellbeing

The Head of Adult Social Care introduced a report updating the committee on the development and progress of new short-term and long-term approaches to Community Services developed in response to the implementation of the Social Services and Wellbeing Act (Wales) 2014. The report explained how the development of short-term and pre-emptive approaches to information, advice and assistance, would affect the organisation of services for people who needed managed care and support at home and long-term care in residential or nursing care settings.

Members received a video presentation showing a resident talking about his experience at Bryn y Cae home for Older People.

The Head of Adult Social Care reminded the Committee of the Western Bay Optimum Model, “Integrated care describes the coordinated delivery of support to individuals in a way that enables them to maximise their independence, health and wellbeing” and explained that a detailed report would be brought to Committee in January.

The Head of Adult Social Care explained that within the Directorate, there were a number of teams providing long term managed care and support and they also supported people in care home placements. In order to offer clarity of roles and responsibilities, it was necessary to realign the existing social work resources into teams supporting short term, pre-emptive and preventative services based within the Community Resource Team and into long-term managed care and support services, based within the Integrated Community Networks. This would be completed during the next few months.    

The report included a table summarising progress since January in delivering the optimal model in Bridgend. There were some aspects to be developed such as Acute Clinical Response where additional funding was required to move from a 5 day to a 7 day service. Also further work would be carried out in the Support and Stay for people with Dementia area, by the mental health directorate and community services to develop the right model for people with dementia. 

The Head of Adult Social Care outlined the potential opportunities to extending the service and the anticipated potential benefits for people living in Bridgend County Borough.

Members asked for the contact telephone number for the Common Access Point. The telephone number was provided, 01656 642279. This was available on the BCBC website and in the Regional Directory of Services. There was also an out of hours service and a mobile response service. Calls were redirected to another number to access these services out of hours.

Members referred to improvements working with other bodies eg Care and Repair and the importance of sharing expertise in different areas. There was a real role in signposting people to the right area and excellent relationships had been built with partners. The Head of Adult Social Care explained how  a Bridgend patient in a Neath Port Talbot hospital could be referred to the Common Access Point, have access to a social worker who would then liaise with Care and Repair in Bridgend on the patients behalf.    

The Committee asked if it would be possible to have a case study showing a virtual ward and how acute clinical services worked. The Head of Adult Social Care said that she would try to arrange a case study for Members. 

The Committee referred to the table and questioned why no progress had been made with Support and Stay for people with Dementia. The Head of   Adult Social Care explained that when the right model was developed, there would be a direct link between community services and support and stay. 

Members asked for more information re alignment of social work to meet the needs of short-term intervention services and long term manage care and support. The Head of Adult Social Care explained that services were being realigned to include disabled and younger adults to allow and encourage them to stay at home. The intention was to create a fully open, pre-emptive service where social workers work with the health board to avoid duplication. A number of social workers were based in the hospital and working on the wards each day “pulling” people out as soon as practicable.

 The Cabinet Member – Adult Social Care and Health reported that this was an approach to intervention taken with neighbours and improvements were being made at a time when funds were decreasing. The cost and demand for social care was rising and it was important that the implementation of the new Act was adequately resourced.  

The Committee acknowledged the significant role that staff played in the delivery of early intervention at a difficult time and requested that their comments be forwarded to staff within the service area.

The Committee thanked officers for the comprehensive report.   

Conclusions

1.    The Committee recognised and commended the work that was being undertaken within the Directorate to create improved Community Services and in response to the Social Services and Wellbeing Act (Wales) 2014.

2.    Members asked for some case studies for the Acute Clinical Service in order to gain a better understanding of how this would work in reality.

3.    The Committee expressed serious concerns over the delays and lack of progress in the area of support for people with Dementia.  Members queried why there is a significant increase in individuals diagnosed with Dementia nationally and more importunately why the figures were specifically high for Bridgend in comparison with other Local Authorities.  In light of this topic also sitting within the remit of the Partnerships and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee, members proposed that this be suggested as a Joint Committee item between the P&G and ASC Committees.