Councillor Gilchrist introduced the report of the Director for Health and Care (DASS) that provided the 2019/20 Quarter 1 (April-June 2019) performance report for the Wirral Plan Pledges under the remit of the Adult Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Also included at Appendix 1 to the report was an overview of the progress in Quarter 1 and available data in relation to a range of outcome indicators and supporting measures. The Adult Social Care and Health Performance Overview was included at Appendix 2 to the report and included additional performance information that had been requested by Members to enable effective scrutiny.

Councillor Gilchrist invited Mark Camborne, Assistant Director – Safer Wirral Service and Jason Oxley, Assistant Director Health and Care Outcomes to present information on the key areas of Domestic Abuse and All Age Disability respectively.

The Assistant Director – Safer Wirral Service delivered a presentation that informed on action against the Council’s 2020 Pledges in support of action to tackle Domestic Abuse. The presentation covered the following key points:

·  Merseyside Police call out times – dispatch rate.

·  The number of incidents which were reported to the police.

·  Overall number of incidents reported to the police that went on to be classed as a crime.

·  The varied categories of domestic abuse – that also included stalking, harassment and violence without injury.

·  Crimes solved i.e. a positive outcome - a charge or caution of the perpetrator.

·  Instances where the victim declines support, and possible actions

·  Protection Notices – used in cases as an intervention to protect the victim if prosecution was not possible.

·  Zero tolerance measures.

The Assistant Director – Safer Wirral Service provided summary background statistics for each point and provided information on changes to reporting e.g. where there have been changes in the Home Office counting rules which resulted in more than one crime being recorded against one victim i.e physical assault and coercive and controlling behaviour. Members were apprised that previously it was the most serious offence that was ‘crimed’ against once victim.

A further example included the criming of neglect against children, where previously one neglect would be crimed against poor home conditions, this was now reported against each child within the household.

Members also noted that peaks in reported domestic abuse incidents were recorded around Christmas time and high profile public campaigns re domestic abuse. In each case additional staff were engaged to enable a swifter response.

The Assistant Director – Safer Wirral Service informed that a workshop session was being scheduled for Members in the near future.

Members thanked the Officer for his report and offered their continued support in helping to tackle the issue of domestic abuse, in all its forms.

The Assistant Director Health and Care Outcomes introduced his interim report focussing on the subject of the All Age Disability Service, to be the subject of a detailed report to the October meeting of the Health and Care Performance Panel. He informed that the integrated service aimed to ensure that the Council and NHS partners used their collective resources to provide better and more joined up support to people with disabilities or a mental health need. He explained that this followed the successful implementation of a fully integrated service for older people under a similar agreement. He further informed that in August 2018 approximately 128 staff transferred to the NHS to deliver an all age disability and mental health services operated by the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership Trust (CWP). The key function being to support planning and case management processes for children and adults with the most complex needs under the management of one organisation.

The Assistant Director Health and Care Outcomes apprised the Adult Care & Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee of key areas of the service and processes to monitor efficiency, these included:

·  Monthly contract review

·  Quarterly Partnership Governance Board – chaired by Cabinet Members.

Members noted that the service was planned to have a bedding in period of 12 months where performance had remained steady and was now moving into a phase of further service development.  There had been good rates of annual reviews and assessments undertaken reported, with a 19 day timeframe for new assessments.

The Assistant Director Health and Care Outcomes added that there were currently high levels of assurance over the quality of casework with children. Positive messages around integration have been received, with helpful recommendations, following an Association of Directors of Adult Social Services Peer Review.

Members were apprised that there were early signs of the benefits of integration with consistent delivery of good outcomes for those with complex needs.

Members questioned the Assistant Director on transition for individuals and links into special education needs system (SEND).

The Assistant Director Health and Care Outcomes responded, acknowledging that although children supported by this service are a very small proportion of the overall number of young people with a special educational need, the implementation of and operational transition protocol focused its work around planning for the individual. There was a wider piece of work around SEND and he agreed that the aim was to have an ‘all age’ service that would improve the transition pathway. Initial steps with teams had been to co-locate with their health colleagues in the same building, sharing information and gaining better access to multiagency support for people. This had already provided positive results.

Councillor Gilchrist thanked both Officers for their reports and invited the Overview and Scrutiny Committee spokespersons to the Health and Care Performance Working Group meeting to be held on 9 October.

Resolved – That the report be noted.