Agenda and minutes

None.

None.

Were agreed as a correct record.

The minutes of 25 July 2011 meeting were tabled at the meeting. The Committee chose not to consider these and deferred them until the next meeting.

All items were considered in Part 1.

The Interim Head of Transformation provided a verbal report.

The following points were noted:

• A programme and communications plan had been developed to manage the progress of the personalisation programme in a timely and effective manner.
• Phase 1 of Personal Budgets – Would be launched on 1st November for people with learning disabilities, people with physical disabilities and older people.  Updates to system and operational processes had been made to support this. 
• The launch would include the introduction of payment cards (which operate like a debit card) so that personal budget holders could buy services from providers or access cash to pay for their needs. 
• The cards had already been trialled and a group of 26 volunteers would be trying out the payment cards from a personal budget perspective in the next few weeks. 
• Further work would include significant amounts of work around performance and outcomes focussed culture and both individual staff and team performance which would be linked to outcomes outlined in support plans.
• A clear risk enablement and management framework would be in place to enable service users to branch out to achieve more independence choice and control in a safe and considered manner.
• Phase 2 of Personal Budgets – Would be launched on 1st January for people with mental health issues.  Carers would also receive personal budgets to ensure their needs were clarified and avoid any confusion with service user needs.
• Two projects would run alongside these phases to support full personalisation:
  1. Tiered case allocation system - a review and realignment of staffing skills mix; 
  2. Development of the marketplace - commissioners working with independent and voluntary organisations to provide services based on number of people rather than blocks of service 

• A member development day will be held on 19th September which would include a seminar on 'Personalisation - Thinking Differently in Adult Social Care. 

During the course of discussions a number of points were raised by Members:

In response to a query about pre-payment cards for those people with capacity issues, officers explained that these people would have to place their care in an advocate or place the information with another capable person. It was noted that this requirement would need to be incorporated into a person’s Care Plan.

Members noted the Local Authority had a responsibility to develop the Support Plan for service users and these would be outcome measured. Members asked about pre-payment cards and whether these were credited with fixed monthly sums. Officers explained the crediting of the card depended on the capacity of the person concerned. If the service user had demonstrated that they were good at managing a budget then monthly credit sums could be increased.

Members heard that pre-payment cards were credited every six weeks. The Committee pointed out that this was at odds with benefit payment timescales, which were either weekly or monthly, and officers should consider a four week cycle.

Resolved - That the report be noted

Members were presented with details of the Committee’s work programme for 2011/12 together with a draft scoping report on Personalisation and Disabilities with reference to Transition.

Discussion took place on the remit of the review and the Committee asked for the draft scoping report to be amended, and to incorporate the following points:

1. To include a position statement detailing the progress made on personalisation programme
2. To provide full definitions within the scoping report of any abbreviations used.
3. To ensure that the Adult Social Care Commissioning Plan and Day Services Strategy Consultation are considered as part of the review
4. In addition, Members requested that Claire Thomas from Hillingdon Carers should be considered as a possible witness for the review.

Resolved –

1.      That the Personalisation and Disabilities with reference to Transition scoping report be agreed, subject to the amendments suggested and for this to be sent to the Chairman and Labour Lead for agreement.

The Committee considered the Forward Plan from August to November 2011.

Resolved -

1. Cabinet Item 656 – Disabilities Plan 2011: To request officers to provide a briefing note on the item
2. Cabinet Item 649 – Adult Social Care Commissioning Plan 2011-15:To request officers to provide a briefing note on the item
3. Cabinet Item 653 - Carers Commissioning Plan: To request officers to provide a briefing note on the item.

Reference was made to the work programme and timetable of meetings. It was noted that title of the Social Care, Health and Housing Performance Assessment had been changed to the Local Account and this would be considered in January 2012 and not December 2011 as listed in the work programme.

With reference to 14 February 2012 meeting, the Committee agreed to move this to 15 February 2012.

Resolved –

1.      That the report be noted.

2.      That the date of 14 February meeting be moved to 15 February 2012.