Agenda item

This report provides an account of the role of the Deputy Leader of the Council who has responsibility for Adult Social Care and Public Health. It details their ambitions for their areas of responsibility, how they have and will undertake political challenge and leadership and what their priorities and ambitions are for the year ahead.

Discussion:

The Deputy Leader of the Council introduced her report which provided an account of her role in relation to being the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Public Health services. She drew particular attention to the investment in adult social care which had enabled great improvements in the service and to the prevention work within public health.

Members then raised a number of questions and comments, which included:

• Positivity – when asked if it was appropriate for the report to be so positive, given the recent judgement of ‘requires improvement’ for Medway’s adult social care service, the Deputy Leader explained that the service would have been likely to be graded ‘inadequate’ had it been inspected when she came into post but with the determination of the Assistant Director, Adult Social Care and the team, along with the investment to right-size the service, huge effort had been made to make improvements to the service, which was 4 percentage points away from ‘Good’. The restructure of Adult Social Care was due to go live on 1 March 2025 and focus on improvements would continue.
• Social Worker recruitment – reference was made to social worker recruitment, which had been challenging. Vacancy rate was still high at 38%, which was currently filled by locums, but recruitment had shown some signs of improvement.
• Working with the hospital – reference was made to the increased pressure the hospital was currently under due to winter pressures and high rates of flu. The Deputy Leader explained that the situation was untenable and was a result of austerity measures that had previously been made.  She explained that the Council worked hard to support the hospital in any way it could. The Council was part of the multi-disciplinary team at the hospital, along with Kyndi who had input in terms of assisted technology to support independence at home. In addition, Adult Social Care were part of a daily call with the hospital to discuss discharges from hospital (which was normally around 20-25 people per day that needed support from Adult Social Care) so the Council was doing all it could to support the hospital. Prioritisation of vaccinations would also be a key focus from a preventative perspective.
• Increase in safeguarding concerns – in response to a question about why there had been a rise in safeguarding concerns reported, the Deputy Leader explained that the profile of safeguarding had been raised considerably and she also explained that there had been a rise in different types of abuse with far more financial abuse concerns being reported than had been previously.
• Research capacity – in response to a question about how the service balanced responding to demand and investing in research projects, the Deputy Leader explained that when the new restructure was in place and embedded, it was hoped that it would build space for staff to be involved in new developments and projects and to enrich their learning, development and practice.
• Winter fuel allowance – reference was made to the Government’s decision to remove the universal winter fuel allowance for pensioners. In response, the Deputy Leader explained that she had understood why the Government had made the difficult decision and that since the announcement was made the Council’s Financial Welfare Team had made huge efforts to raise awareness of Pension Credit and many had since come forward to apply for the benefit which had been a welcomed unintended consequence.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) – in response to a question about her vision for AI in Medway, the Deputy Leader explained that the service was already looking at programmes and technology available to improve efficiencies and maximise capacity and provide an improved experience for clients. She also referred to the virtual training room being built at Mid Kent College which would enable social workers and occupational therapists to practice using independence aids so they could recommend appropriate equipment with confidence.
• Raising the profile of Adult Social Care – in response to a question about how the profile could be raised, the Deputy Leader explained this was an area where more needed to be done to find different ways of raising the profile of adult social care so people were more aware about it before they might need it. The CQC assessment had assisted in putting a spotlight on the service, but a variety of methods would need to be used. There was also a role for Ward Councillors to be ambassadors for the service.
• Short breaks waiting list – it was asked if there was a waiting list for short breaks support in adult social care. In response, the Assistant Director, Adult Social Care explained that there was no waiting list for the respite service at Birling Avenue (for adults with learning difficulties) but in addition to that there were approximately 13 people waiting for a respite break placement.
• Women’s health – the Deputy Leader explained this had been a focus of the Health and Wellbeing Board as it was an area that was under-represented and not taken seriously enough with particular issues in long term contraceptive access and menopause services. There was more to do to improve services but locally the system had made a start in improving access to such services.
• Volunteer recruitment – in response to a question about whether a difficulty in recruiting volunteers was replicated in the community and voluntary sector organisations that the Deputy Leader engaged with, she confirmed it was. Work was ongoing with the college and universities to highlight the benefits of volunteering but since covid, recruiting volunteers had become more difficult.
• GP Access Task Group – reference was made to the GP Access Task group and the lack of GPs in Medway. In response the Deputy Leader explained that 14 recommendations of the task group were still live and she worked closely with the Director of Primary and Community (out of hospital) Care. Much was being done but it was a challenge. She also referred to the change in demand with there being an increase in the number of mental health consultations for 20-45 year olds.  She also referred to the GPs supported by Medway through the bursary programme. The first three doctors had now graduated from Kent Medical School.
• Inadequate care home – reference was made to a care home in Medway that had recently been rated as inadequate by the CQC and it was asked what action the Council would take in response. The Assistant Director, Adult Social Care explained that the quality assurance team worked closely with providers to support them in addressing any areas of concern. The Council was made aware of such judgements well in advance and so work with providers and appropriate action was taken well in advance of the publication of assessments. Depending on the challenges identified, the local authority would make a decision on whether residents should be moved, but decisions also needed to take account of clients, their needs and wishes, as sometimes moving them could be more traumatic than working with the provider to provide wrap around support.
• Health and Wellbeing Board – the Deputy Leader welcomed the suggestion to be more joined up between the Board and this Committee and undertook to meet with the Chairperson and Democratic Services to consider how best the two could work together without duplicating work.

Decision:

The Committee noted the report and thanked the Deputy Leader for her attendance.