Two questions had been received in relation to item 9 on the agenda (review of day care services contract for people with a learning disability delivered by Wirral Evolutions).

Question 1 – Christine Rothwell

[Read by Cllr Yvonne Nolan]

We are aware that independent review was undertaken, can the Committee confirm it is the recommendation of this that a further review will be undertaken. Although this report recommends a further review, there is no detail as to who will undertake the review, when it will be, or that key stakeholders will be consulted. It makes no reference to the most important people in this: those that use the service. Can the Committee give the assurance that their views will be taken into account?

Answer: [Cllr Yvonne Nolan] I most certainly can give that assurance.

Question 2 – Steve McGreal (for Susan Smailes)

Parent carers from the Council convened family engagement group applaud the recent decision of the Adult Social Care and Public Health workshop, to provide Wirral Evolutions with an opportunity to develop the detail of their transformation model. Our goal is to see the best possible service provided to the disabled citizens of Wirral, regardless of provider, but we and the general public need to see that any decision is made objectively [and] in the light of all relevant information. We note that Graham Hodkinson has been - or may be - tasked with producing a report which undertakes a value for money review as to whether Wirral Evolutions offers sufficient added value to the Council, and that the delivery of the contract for day services for people with learning difficulties to justify the additional costs of running an arm’s length company. My question is can we have your assurance that parent carers will be involved in the production of this report, and that any other delivery model, including any in-house provision, will be fully costed and its services specified to allow full consideration, transparency and fairness in decision making?

Answer: [Cllr Yvonne Nolan] I’m actually going to ask Graham to confirm, but certainly from this Committee’s perspective, yes you can have an assurance of the involvement of all of the stakeholders in the report that Graham’s going to complete for us. We do take decisions with transparency, they are open, they are taken in this open public Committee and our reports are published. So I hope that will assure you but I will pass onto Graham.

[Graham Hodkinson] I would certainly confirm my commitment to involving the carers group in the terms of reference for the report and including your views in relation to value. There’s more to value than just the financial elements of the service and clearly the scope there in terms of value added as well, in relation to the model. So I’m very happy to talk to you about that and make sure your views are taken into account as part of that process.

Supplementary Question

The original justification for Wirral Evolutions was that personalisation was driving councils to be commissioners rather than providers of services, and it would be a great opportunity for improving outcomes. Does this Council still believe that personalisation and improved outcomes for people that use the service, and commissioning rather than providing, are still as valid and important now as they were seven years ago?

Answer: [Cllr Yvonne Nolan]I am certainly happy to say that as far as we’re concerned, the outcome for the people that use the services are the key thing that matters to this Committee; that the best possible outcomes are achieved, whether that is through whatever route [or] whoever provides the service, the question is always about are the outcomes for people the best they can possibly be, and that’s what we’re exploring and that is why this Committee has spent as long as it has looking and considering all the aspects around the delivery of the service, and we will continue to do so until we are absolutely satisfied that what we’re providing is giving the best possible outcomes, but I am happy for the director to add to that if he wishes?

[Graham Hodkinson] I would simply echo the Chair’s comments there. I think that clearly outcomes for individuals is the key issue here. You’ll hear in the report there are still ongoing concerns about proposed changes, and elected members have really expressed those concerns really because of the impact on people. Irrespective of how the service is delivered, the focus has to be on the outcomes for the people that use the service, as opposed to the management structure or whether that service is commissioned or delivered. In essence we were charged with that as officers as part of the review process to look at all models of delivery and not simply commissioned models.

Statement – George Lamb

On behalf of the Save Highcroft Day Centre Campaign I’d like to thank the Committee for letting me speak today. By now the Committee should have received and had chance to read the copy of our survey report outlining the results of our survey. Its purpose was to give the wider community a say on the potential closure of Highcroft Day Centre, as well as provide further views from parents, primary carers, staff amongst others, regarding the impact of the potential closures. Our survey also saw recommendations from participants as to ways in which Highcroft Day Centre could be saved. After eight weeks of being open 254 people took part in the survey, of which 211 were from the community. 15 parents, guardians and primary carers also took part in the survey, as did 5 staff members. Other participants included family members, volunteers and community organisers. The final details of our survey and how it was conducted can be found in our Survey Report which we’ve made available to the public. For the purposes of today’s meeting, however, I would just like to summarise for the Committee and the public the most important findings of our survey:

Of the 254 participants that took part in the survey, 98% said they felt the service provided at Highcroft Day Centre is very important, and that Highcroft Day Centre plays a very important role in providing that service. 98% also said they felt Highcroft Day Centre, and the services provided there, were very or fairly important to the wider community. Finally 96% said they felt very angry or angry about the potential closure of Highcroft Day Centre.

Of the 14 parents and primary carers who completed the parents and primary carers section of our survey, 100% said the service provided at Highcroft was very important. 93% said they felt the closure would have a very negative impact on the wellbeing of the service user they care for, and 100% of the parents and primary carers said they felt the closure would have a very or fairly negative impact on their and their family’s wellbeing. Participants also said having the service provided at Highcroft, gave them the opportunity for things such as respite, to go to work, do household chores, go shopping, care for other family members, and to socialise.

When participants were asked for suggestions on how to save Highcroft Day Centre, suggestions from them included: opening the day centre for use by the wider community for private events and use by the community groups in the area outside its hours of operation; calling on Wirral Borough Council to do more to help save the day centres; calling on Wirral Evolutions to advertise their services better and to explore alternative revenue streams such as fundraising events and fundraising initiatives.

We call upon Wirral Borough Council and Wirral Evolutions to take the views and feelings of the participants of the survey into account when making any final decisions on the closures of day centres, and on the future of the service, whatever that may be. But most of all we call upon the Committee, the Council and Wirral Evolutions to continue placing the interests and wellbeing of service users at the heart of all their decisions in the process. Thank you for listening.