Councillor McLaughlin introduced the joint report of the Chairs of the Adult Care and Health OSC (Cllr Julie McManus) and the Children and Families OSC (Cllr Tom Usher) that informed of the joint workshop involving members of the two Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

The report informed that as part of their work programme, members had previously agreed to scrutinise proposals arising from the Council’s Transformation Programme. This form of pre-decision scrutiny gave non-Cabinet members the opportunity to influence developing proposals. It was, therefore, agreed to hold a workshop to provide members the opportunity to review the proposals being developed by the All Age Disability and Mental Health Service Transformation Project. The report summarised the findings of the workshop, which was held on Wednesday 2 August 2017.

The workshop enabled a review of the outline business case that formed part of Wirral Council’s Strategic Transformation Programme. The business case related to the All Age Disability and Mental Health Service Transformation Project. As the scope of the project had potential implications for recipients of both children and adult services, all members of the Adult Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee were invited to attend. Eleven committee members attended the session. The Director of Health and Care and the Assistant Director of Health and Care Outcomes led a presentation to explain the details of the outline business case, followed by a question and answer session to give members the opportunity to comment on the proposals. 

The report informed that full details of the proposals for change were available in the outline business case for the All Age Disability and Mental Health Service Transformation Project. The Outline Business Case set out a proposal to transform the Council’s Mental Health Service and the Disability Teams across Children’s and Adult Services to develop integrated pathways to work more closely with key partners to drive forward integration and service efficiencies. Members noted  that National policy for ‘All Age Disability Integration’ and ‘Health and Social Care Integration’ provided the national direction for change as a key driver for local transformation across services.

Resolved – That

(1)  the report be noted;

(2)  the report be referred to a future meeting of Cabinet; and

(3)  the Full Business Case is developed to ensure that the key points made by Elected Members, detailed in the report, are addressed.