The Director of Adult Social Services provided an update on the actions undertaken by the Department of Adult Social Services (DASS) in response to the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) report produced by the Audit Commission. He set out the five broad actions required by the PIDA report and commented that progress had been made through a series of sub actions, most of which had been completed as outlined in an action plan appended to his report. In addition to the Audit Commission Report, an Internal Audit Report dated 13 March 2008 identified seven broad actions in relation to the PIDA, all of which had been completed by 28 November 2008. He reported also that a further three recommendations by Internal Audit were endorsed by the Committee on 4 November 2008 (minute 37 refers) and he set out the departmental response to each.

The Director indicated that his report referred to actions that had been completed by January 2009, at which point his report was delayed whilst the investigation into audit and disciplinary matters was undertaken. Actions completed since January 2009 included a financial Review of all people supported by independent sector providers and a value for money appraisal of existing domiciliary care arrangements.

Although most of the actions set to respond to issues highlighted by the PIDA had been completed, the Director provided an explanation in relation to the following, which were listed in the appendix to his report as “ongoing” –

·  Review all LD People who Use Services (AC R4)

·  Review current Domiciliary Care contract in terms of the personalisation agenda and context of individual budgets (ACR2)

He reported also that the department currently had 257 people supported by 26 accredited supported living providers and, in Wirral there were a further 20 accredited providers with whom no people were currently placed by DASS. Since the monitoring process was launched in January 2009, the Contracts Monitoring Team had completed 10 spot check inspections and 9 full inspections, most of which had been carried out jointly with a seconded officer from the Supported Living Team. He indicated that following each inspection an action plan was agreed with the Provider and its implementation monitored, with follow up visits being arranged where appropriate.

However, contract monitoring and quality control was also a matter for future work in the context of broader developments in the transformation/ personalisation agenda. These included the role and place of Wirral’s Local Involvement Network (LINk), which had a statutory role to monitor the quality of provision across health and social care. In turn, as the new contracting approach was developed, expectations upon providers and some more comprehensive person centred arrangements would be developed and would be the subject of further reports.

The Director commented that each of the reports on the Committee agenda were due to be considered by the Health and Well Being Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 10 November 2009.

Resolved –

(1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That this Committee expresses the view that the Health and Well Being Overview and Scrutiny Committee should defer consideration of the following reports until such time as a final update report has been resubmitted to the Audit and Risk Management Committee:

·  The report of the Chief Internal Auditor “Adult Social Services – Charging Policy – Service Users Residing at “In-House” Supported Living Units during the period 1997 – 2003”

·  The report of the Director of Adult Social Services “Charging Arrangements for Supported Living in Wirral 1997 to 2003”