The Committee considered the report of the Director of Adult Social Services giving an update on the implementation of the Social Care Bill.

Mr Graham Hodkinson, Director of Adult Social Services indicated that reforming the care and support system was vital for the department to be able to meet the challenge of an increasingly vulnerable ageing population.  The Care Bill reflected National priorities for meeting need and was currently making its way through Parliament.  It was essential that the Council was prepared to implement the care and support reforms from 2015.  The Department of Health had partnered with the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) to deliver a programme of work to support this. 

The report indicated that the planning process to ensure successful local implementation of reforms to care and support was already underway in many local areas and that Wirral had made a start, however there was much more to be done across the Council. 

Mr Hodkinson indicated that the challenges set out within the report were intended to help facilitate dialogue between elected members, Chief Executive Strategy Group (CESG), across Council Directorates and partners in relation to working to implement the reforms.

A Member asked if a training session could be arranged for Members highlighting the implications of the Social Care Bill. In response, Mr Hodkinson suggested that Members waited for the Bill to become law and for the Department to undertake some detailed work on the implications in late 2014 in readiness for 2015.

Ms Clare Fish, Strategic Director of Families and Wellbeing suggested to Members that with the introduction of a new Childrens and Families Act, they may wish to have a training session on the implications of this, alongside the Social Care Bill

RESOLVED: That

(1)  given the size and scope of the preparation task, and the impact that this will have on the business of the Council, it be noted that a number of recommendations have been developed based on LGA guidance;

(2)  the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) be appraised of progress against preparation for and implementation of the Care Bill;

(3)  as the Bill drives key policy changes, it is recommended that, in   addition to an Officer-led project board, the Council has an implementation overview group led by the Lead Member for Adult Social Care but linking to Cabinet members with responsibilities for Resources, Transformation and Public Health, to enable full engagement of political leaders;

(4)  a nominated lead officer reporting to the Director of Adult Social Care be requested to provide executive support to the lead members overview group as well as leading the project implementation team drawn from across the Council; and

(5)  Work-streams be set up across the Council under the overall project to reflect changes required in Children's Services (Transition);IT (Information and Advice, Informatics); Finance (Deferred Payments and Cap on Care Costs); Communications & Website (Information and Advice, Communicating the Changes); and Housing (Wellbeing and Prevention).

(6)  training sessions be held for members of Families and   Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee on the implications

  both the Social Care Bill and the Childrens and Families Act when   when appropriate.