Agenda and minutes

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations were made.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report sets out the Scrutiny Review Panel Procedure Rules and suggests that the Panel should adopt them for the purpose of conducting the review.

The Panel are requested to formally adopt the Scrutiny Review Panel Rules for the purpose of conducting the review.

Officer Contact: Damian Eaton on 0161 474 3207 or email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Panel to agree a set of procedures to be adhered to for the conducting of the review.

RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Panel Procedure Rules as set out in the report be adopted.

To consider a presentation from Vincent Fraga (Head of Service - Market Development, Quality & Commissioning, Stockport Council) setting out background information on residential care homes, services and support on offer as well as the local and national context.

Vincent Fraga (Head of Service for Market Development, Quality & Commissioning (Stockport Council)) and Gill Walters (Health & Wellbeing Policy Manager (Stockport Council)) attended the meeting and gave a presentation setting out the background and context for the review, including information about:-

·         the Council’s responsibilities under the Care Act 2014

·         the number of care homes, care home providers and beds within the Borough; and

·         the cost of care.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The Council had an overarching responsibility for market oversight and provider failure and there were contingency plans in place to deal with issues ranging from gas leaks to home closures.

·         It was increasingly difficult for the Council to promote workforce development against the intense competition within the sector which served to inhibit growth in employee remuneration.

·         Approximately half of the 2541 beds within the Borough were available without third party top-up payments, while there were a further 412 outside Stockport.

·         A discussion took place around the reduction in cost that sharing a room attracted and why this was not extended to married and established co-habiting couples or those who chose to share a room.  In response, it was stated that the reduction was intended to be a reflection of the less advantageous nature of shared accommodation which was not a factor when the occupants willingly shared.

·         It continued to be difficult for the Council to maintain pricing parity against the prevailing climate of ongoing increases in the costs of care.

·         It was requested that details of the typical additional top-up fees paid by third parties and the number of those paying them be circulated to members of the Panel.

·         Additional information was requested on how Stockport fared in terms of the availability of dementia nursing beds.

·         It was difficult for the Council to shape the market for residential care and it was often reactive to those developers and care home providers who had decided to build a home in the Borough.  Adult Social Care was working closely with the planning department to ensure that discussions were opened at a formative stage in providers’ plans for new development.

·         There were recommended limits on the size of residential care homes however an optimal size was more often determined by the nature and resourcing of the home than arbitrary limits.

·         ‘Extra care’ providers provided an intermediate service between living at home and in residential care and it was requested that additional information on the level of such provision in the Borough be circulated to members of the scrutiny committee.

·         There were historical reasons why beds were being purchased outside the Borough but these were largely because residents had chosen that option rather than because of capacity issues in Stockport.

·         Sheltered housing had not traditionally been a popular option as people often chose to live in their own home until that no longer became possible, by which time they had developed a high level of need which could only be suitably met in a care home setting.  Members requested additional information on the number of residents currently in sheltered accommodation.

·         Stockport was a destination of choice for many older people and the number of people living in homes in Stockport from outside the Borough was likely to be higher than the average.

RESOLVED – That Vincent Fraga and Gill Walters be thanked for their attendance and presentation.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report is designed to assist the Panel to scope the review and determine the areas which they wish to explore and scrutinise further.

The Panel is requested to determine the scope of the review and outline areas which they wish to scrutinise further.

Officer Contact: Damian Eaton on 0161 474 3207 or email: damian.eaton@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the background to the selection of the Review Topic and requesting that the Panel give consideration to the scope of the proposed review, its aims and its objectives.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It would be useful to undertake visits to a range of residential care home providers as part of the evidence gathering for the Review.

·         The Review would benefit from the attendance of additional advisors representing the breadth of interests in the scope of the Review including the residential care providers, Healthwatch and the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust.

RESOLVED – (1) That approval be given to the scope aims and objectives of the review as detailed in Section 3 of the report, subject to the inclusion of an analysis of extra care provision being included within the scope of the review.

(2) That the Democratic Services Manager be requested to make arrangements for representatives of Borough Care, Healthwatch and the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust to be invited to attend meetings of the Review in an advisory capacity.

(3) That meetings of the Panel be convened as follows:-

23 November 2015

15 December 2015

19 January 2016

9 February 2016