Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Adult Care Services)

The report gives a detailed overview of the proposal to modernise Adults Social Care’s approach to travel assistance provided for people with disabilities and significant mobility problems. The report also sets out the results of consultations carried out with key stakeholders.

The Executive is asked to consider the contents of this report and approve the proposed changes to Adult Social Care (ASC) travel assistance outlined to take place during 2014/15:

·      To agree the proposals outlined in the report to effect service change in relation to ASC travel assistance ensuring that people assessed as needing essential social care services are supported (as appropriate) to make travel arrangements in line with their support plan, preferences and budget.

·      To agree to reduce the block contracting arrangements with Solution SK Ltd and associated budget requirements proportionate to the downscaling of the assisted transport service during 2014/15 as service change is rolled-out.

·      To agree an increase to the flat rate charge for assisted transport from £3 per journey to £5 per journey as of 1^st April 2014.

Officer contact: Lois Hale, 07800 618305, lois.hale@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Adult Care Services) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive Meeting to consider proposals to modernise the approach to travel assistance for adults with disabilities and mobility problems, in line with the move toward personalisation. The proposals had been subject to formal consultation with stakeholders, including service users, and the details were set out in the report.

An Equality Impact Assessment had also been submitted (copies of which had been circulated).

RESOLVED – That, in relation to the proposed changes to Adult Social Care travel assistance:

•      the results of the consultation with stakeholders and service users be noted;

•      the proposals outlined in the report to effect service change be approved, ensuring that people assessed as needing essential social care services were supported (as appropriate) to make travel arrangements in line with their support plan, preferences and budget;

•      approval be given to reducing the block contracting arrangements with Solution SK Ltd and associated budget requirements proportionate to the downscaling of the assisted transport service during 2014/15 as service change was rolled-out; and,

•      an increase to the flat rate charge for assisted transport from £3 per journey to £5 per journey as of 1st April 2014 be agreed.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Adult Social Care).

The report gives a detailed overview of the proposal to modernise Adults Social Care’s approach to travel assistance provided for people with disabilities and significant mobility problems (older people comprise approximately 30% of the total cohort of people using transport with 70% of people having a learning or physical disability), and potentially to cease the commissioning of block contracted assisted transport provided for people using adult social care services.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

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

A representative of the Service Director (Adult Social Care) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a detailed overview of proposals to modernise Adult Social Care’s approach to travel assistance provided for people with disabilities and significant mobility problems and to potentially cease the commissioning of block contracted assisted transport provided for people using adult social care services.

The Executive Councillor for Adult Care Services (Councillor Keith Holloway) attended the meeting to answer members’ questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The proposed increase in the charge for transport from £3 to £5 per single journey would constitute an increase in cost of 66% to service users.  However, this would still mean the service was being subsidised at a rate of between 50% and 60% by the Council.

·         The Council would continue to commission services for those few individuals for whom there were complex travel needs to ensure that they could continue to access a full range of services.

·         There would be a need to monitor the impact of the changes on service users with a particular regard to users’ travel patterns and their ability to pay in the light of the results of the consultation which stated that a number of users had expressed the view that they would be inclined not to use the assisted transport service if costs were to increase.

·         It was commented that the report cited that 15% of booked journeys were cancelled at short notice and the implication was that this was the result of a failure on the part of service users.  It was stated that given the specific needs of this cohort of service user there would be an increased likelihood of medical emergency or illness arising which may account for a significant proportion of those cancellations.

·         The majority of journeys were already undertaken using third party providers such as private hire companies.  Although discussion had taken place with a number of providers, at this stage it was difficult to ascertain the likely increase in demand on these services.

·         As the demand on the assisted transport service decreased, the fleet of vehicles operated by Solutions SK would be gradually decommissioned.

·         The service currently operated using a number of agency staff as permanent members of staff left.  Permanent recruitment to these posts had not been sought in this instance to avoid the potential for redundancy at a later stage in the light of the ongoing review of the assisted transport service.

·         A member expressed regret that this front-line service was being withdrawn, particularly in the light of consultation responses which consistently highlighted service users’ appreciation of the service.

RESOLVED – (8 for, 1 abstention) (1) That the necessity of the proposals be noted with regret.

A named vote was requested in relation to the voting on this resolution and the voting was recorded as follows:-

The councillors who voted for the resolution were Councillors Bailey, Dowling, Hawthorne, Ingham, Moss, O’Neill, Somekh and Wild.

Councillor Ben Alexander abstained.

(2) That the Service Director (Adult Social Care) be requested to submit regular monitoring reports to future meetings of the Scrutiny Committee over the next 12 month period to allow the Scrutiny Committee to monitor the impact of the changes to the assisted transport service.