Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2019.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 10 September 2019 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests was declared:-

Personal Interest

There were no call-ins to consider.

To consider a report of the Stockport Safeguarding Adults Board.

This report sets out information about the work of Stockport Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB), how the SSAB has conducted its business during 2018-19, what has been achieved, and the SSAB’s relationship with other partnerships.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer contact: Nuala O’Rourke, 0161 474 5659, Nuala.orourke@stockport.gov.uk

Gill Frame, independence Chair of the Adult Safeguarding Board accompanied by Nuala O’Rourke, Head of Safeguarding and Learning, attended the meeting to present the Adult Safeguarding Board’s Annual Report for 2018-19 (copies of which had been circulated) setting out key achievements for the previous year and future challenges.

The following issues were raised:-

·         Councillors welcomed the report and its easily read format.

·         There was discussion about the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) and their replacement by Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS), for which guidance was awaited. Particular reference was made to changing expectations on care providers and the need to ensure front line social workers were appropriately empowered to respond to needs. The significant financial and administrative demand the current DoLS process placed on the Council was emphasised, and the pragmatic approach taken in Stockport to triage cases on the basis of risk was described.

·         Reference was made to the increase number of safeguarding alerts at Level 3 and further information was requested in what was being done to arrest this trend. In response it was stated that there had been improvements in the processes for assessing safeguarding issues raised by the car providers at levels 1 and 2 that had led to more accurate assessments of risk and harm. Significant efforts had been made through the Safeguarding Board and through the Adult Social Care Quality Team to work with care homes and other providers to better manage and address risks and prevent escalation.

·         Clarification was sought on whether the daily safeguarding meetings described in the report could be expended to 7-day working. In response it was confirmed that safeguarding staff working every day who could response to an immediate safeguarding risk and that this would then be reported into the next daily meeting. Assurance was given that sufficient resources were available to make people safe.

RESOLVED – (1) That Gill Frame and Nuala O’Rourke be thanked for their attendance.

(2) That the thanks of the Scrutiny Committee be recorded to the Stockport Safeguarding Adults Board and all partners for their efforts in safeguarding vulnerable adults in the Borough.

To consider a joint report of the Director of Adult Social Care and the Director of Public Health

The Mid-Year Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Adult Care and Health Portfolio is presented for consideration by the Committee. This provides a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects in the first half of the year, with a particular focus on the second quarter (July to September). It includes forecast performance and financial data (where this is available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

This report is based on the 2019/20 Portfolio Performance and Resource Agreement (PPRA), which was considered by the Committee on 2 July and approved by Cabinet on 23 July 2019.

The report is presented in the new streamlined format, which focuses on highlights and exceptions, reducing duplication through more cross-referencing and use of hyperlinks to other documents. Performance measures have been comprehensively reviewed for 2019/20 and latest data on all portfolio performance measures is included in the Appendix with performance and contextual narrative included by exception in the report.

Scrutiny Committee is asked to:

·         consider the Mid-Year Portfolio Performance and Resource Report;  

·         review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2019/20;

·         highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

·         highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Cabinet alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

·         identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer contact: Peter Owston / Paul Graham, 0161 474 3274 / 4674,  peter.owston@stockport.gov.uk / paul.graham@stocckport.gov.uk

A joint report of the Director of Adult Social Care and the Director of Public Health was submitted (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Mid-Year Portfolio Performance and Resource Report (PPRR) for the Adult Care and Health Portfolio. The report provided a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, reform programme and other key projects in the first half of the year, with a particular focus on the second quarter (July to September). The report also included a forecast on performance and financial data (where this was available) for the Portfolio, along with an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Care & Health (Councillor Jude Wells) attended the meeting to respond to questions.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The format and presentation of the performance data was welcomed.

·         Concern was expressed that the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan would become a means of generating revenue and that these resources would not be used to address air quality. It was suggested that there were easier and less expensive steps that could be taken to address air quality that stopped short of a charging scheme. In response it was suggested that there needed to be a significant change in the publics’ attitude toward car use to challenge the use of cars for short journeys. The significant impact of poor air quality on the health of the public, particularly the vulnerable, was reiterated and comment made about the likely lobbying against measures to address these concerns.

·         Councillors welcomed the decision to allow vulnerable residents to use the Community Transport Service to access GP appointments and comment was made that such travel requirements were likely to increase in the future through the centralisation of specialist NHS services. These services were cost effective investments.

·         There was discussion about the invaluable contribution of volunteers in supporting people in Stockport. It was commented that there were approximately 60,000 volunteers in Stockport, most of whom supporting organisations with less than £10,000 per annum income.

·         Concern was expressed about the reduction in levels of physical activity and there being an in increase in levels of anxiety. In response, caution was expressed about the robustness of the data underpinning this target, as it was drawn from a small sample phone survey. References was made to Greater Manchester campaigns including ‘That Counts’ that encouraged small amounts of activity.

·         Further information was sought on the geographical distribution of the increases in anxiety. In response it was stated that there appeared to be a link to deprivation. Targeted Preventative Alliance data indicating that the most common reason for contact was due to financial issues. It was important not to medicalise such anxiety, but often there was insufficient resources in other services to respond to this demand.

·         Further information was sought on the Disabled Facilities Grant and the significant underspend. In response it was stated that conversations were ongoing between Strategic Housing and Adult Social Care to ensure the best use was made of this capital resource.

·         Clarification was sought on the likely caused of the increase in Delayed Transfers of Care. In response it was suggested that current performance was a statistical anomaly as significant investment had been made to ensure transfers were as timely as possible although there was variation between acute providers. It was emphasised that performance in this area would continue to be a challenge.

·         Further information was sought on the deficit budget forecast. In response it was stated that some of the current overspend was due to investment in equipment and its rapid delivery in order to facility timely hospital discharge. Budgets would be reviewed at year end to ensure they were appropriate.

·         Reference was made to a recent King’s Fund report suggesting a ‘No Deal Brexit’ could place significant financial pressure on Public Health services. In response, assurance was given that the local health and care economy continued to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer contact: Jonathan Vali, 0161 474 3201, jonathan.vali@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out planned agenda items for future meetings and relevant entries in the Cabinet Forward Plan.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Chair informed the Scrutiny Committee that this would be the last meeting attended by Dr Donna Sager as she was due to retire from her role as Director of Public Health.

On behalf of the Scrutiny Committee the Chair thanked Dr Sager for her invaluable contribution and support to this Committee and its predecessors over a number of year, and wished her well for the future.