Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Adult Services.

This report outlines the proposed areas of activity and schemes along with the financial commitment for the system wide winter plan for 2022/23. The report also provides an overview of the commitment the Council will make to ensure it effectively prepares for and responds to escalation in the acute system during the winter period.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to comment on and note the proposed winter pressures schemes as detailed within the report.

Officer contact: Vincent Fraga on 0161 474 4401 or by email: vincent.fraga@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Adult Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the proposed areas of activity and schemes along with the financial commitment for the system wide winter plan for 2022/23. The report also provided an overview of the commitment the Council would make to ensure it effectively prepared for and responded to escalation in the acute system during the winter period.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Welcomed the report and development of the winter plan for 2022/23.

·         In relation to the challenges around recruitment and retention of staff within adult social care, it was queried whether the funding schemes available would be used to pay for agency staff, overtime for current staff or support the wider recruitment programmes.

·         In response, it was stated that there were two areas of focus, the first relating to the council’s internal social care staff to ensure that a comprehensive package was available to promote the care sector as an attractive employer. This included a job fair, making sure that staff were supported and well led within their roles, and developing flexible working policies and development opportunities within adult social care to help mitigate the challenges around retention. In addition, the council had devised a list of people who were prepared to volunteer or work additional hours in January. In respect of the external care market, it was noted that the sector was struggling to compete with other areas such as supermarkets and the hospitality industry. In response, the council were supporting the external care providers to develop a series of incentives, access additional funding across Greater Manchester to offer and encouraging the providers to offer resilience and wellness packages to staff. However, it was recognised that both the council and external care market was in a difficult position in terms of capacity.

·         Concerns were raised in relation to timeline around the schemes submitted to Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership and when the council would receive notification of which schemes had been agreed.

·         In response, Members were advised that voluntary sector additional capacity scheme had been approved through the partnership with Age UK. Some funding had also been agreed to provide additional intermediate care beds and there had been a recent Government announcement around the Hospital Discharge Fund, however there was uncertainty of when these funds would be distributed. What we don’t know is when that will come down. In the interim, the Council were exploring ways to prioritise their resources to support the community.

·         Additional information was requested in relation to the development of the Virtual Ward scheme.

·         In response, it was stated that the Virtual Ward scheme was a national programme rolled out over the last few years which provides wrap around support in a person’s home to allow for early discharge and provides access to primary and secondary care, community health care, adult social care and the wider voluntary sector support.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.