Decision details

Social Care Services Transfer Progress Report

Decision Maker: Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

The Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee received a report on 11 January 2023 regarding social care services currently delivered by Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHCFT). This report presented Members with an update regarding arrangements required after the Council had made an offer of a short-term extension to the arrangements and included subsequent correspondence from WCHCFT.

 

Following full consideration at the Committee meeting on 11 January 2023, Members resolved: “That in response to the Trust (WCHCFT) position regarding transfer of social care, the Committee would expect that we secure a safe, effective, and timely transfer that puts staff at the centre of the process. The proposed date of 1 April is likely to be challenging. Committee would therefore propose a formal project plan is negotiated and agreed between the Local Authority and the Trust setting out the timeline required to both meet these objectives and mitigate against risk to both organisations and ensure seamless care for people who use the services and request the Director of Care and Health to provide an update report to the March 2023 Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee.”

 

This report presents an update with the plans for the service transfer

Decision:

Resolved (9:2) – That

 

1. the planned arrangements for the service transfer and the project plans as detailed within the report and its appendices be endorsed.

 

2.  the Director of Care and Health be authorised to make the necessary arrangements for the transfer.

Reasons for the decision:

One of the Council’s two contractors for social care has rejected the Council’s offer of a further one-year contract extension from September 2023 until September 2024. WCHCFT has advised that this is specifically due to perceived risk to the Trust. WCHCFT has subsequently notified the Council of its purported termination of the current contract and intention to return the provision of social care services to the Council by 1 April 2023. Written notice was provided by WCHCFT on 6 December 2022, with a request that the Council considers an option to extend a five-year contract to WCHCFT as an alternative.

 

Following the decision of the Committee 11 January 2023, the recommendations will support a smooth transfer of the service to be delivered by the Council.

Alternative options considered:

Not project planning could lead to an inefficient and ill ordered transfer of staff

Report author: Nicola Peel

Publication date: 06/03/2023

Date of decision: 06/03/2023

Decided at meeting: 06/03/2023 - Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee

Effective from: 11/03/2023

Accompanying Documents: