Further to the report entitled “Options for Change – Towards a Strategy for Care Services’’ which had been presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 23 July 2009 (attached to the report as Appendix 1), the Director of Adult Social Services presented a further report outlining how the consultation process requested by the Cabinet had been carried out, and providing a summary of the consultation feedback for each area of service. Proposed options were put forward for each area of service based on the information within the original report and an analysis of the consultation feedback. 

Three petitions were submitted by Unison as follows, and would form part of the Consultation process:

The Future of Poulton House  326 signatories

The Future of Pensall House  931 signatories

The Future of Meadowcroft  1201 signatories

The matter involved a key decision first identified in the Forward Plan of Key Decisions dated September 2009.

RESOLVED - That in respect of:

(1)  Supported Living: Further work be carried out on the realignment of the staffing structure to achieve efficiencies to bring costs in line with those in the independent sector. The realignment must take account of the Consultation feedback.  Following that realignment, a further proposal be put before the Cabinet regarding the future of this service;

(2)  Mapleholme: The ‘Take a Break’ scheme be extended to all people who use the respite service at Mapleholme. The relocation of the service be deferred until a decision is reached regarding the provision of Intermediate Care;

(3)  Meadowcroft: Some bed capacity be retained at Meadowcroft and its focus be incrementally changed from bed based to community based services, whilst further work is undertaken to develop robust alternatives for respite and intermediate care services;

(4)  Fernleigh: A report from NHS Wirral be requested, to inform Members of progress being made in the review of the service currently provided at Fernleigh;

(5)  Officers be thanked for their hard work on change options;

(6)  Residential Care: People who currently live in these units be enabled to access alternative accommodation, preferably in their own tenancies.  At the same time, the staffing structure be realigned to reflect these changes;

(7)  Dementia Care:  A future report be presented to the Cabinet to update it on the progress of the Commissioning Strategy for Dementia Care; and

(8)  Day Services: A feasibility study be undertaken into the creation of a LATC.