The Chair agreed to consideration of this item as a matter of urgent business following a report to Cabinet on 17 March, 2011.

Following consideration of a report, ‘Transformation of Adult Social Services – Contracts for Residential and Nursing Home Care and Personal Support’ by Cabinet at its meeting on 17 March, 2011 (minute 359 refers) Christine Beyga, Interim Head of Service Provision, gave an update to the Committee on the latest position.

The tendering procedure for contracts had been followed with an evaluation process that included Council officers, carers and people who used services along with NHS colleagues and Cabinet had agreed to award contracts to a number of providers:

·  94 for residential and nursing home care

·  43 for personal support

·  2 for intermediate care

·  3 for reablement

Cabinet had agreed to waive call-in as the new contracts needed to be in place as soon as was practicable as the current contracts expired no later than 11 April 2011.

Due to insufficient capacity within the market, 11 beds had been retained in-house at Sylvandale and Girtrell Court to support people with learning disabilities. Details were also given of placements made through the reablement service. There were enough beds to provide respite care for most of the different groups and very positive feedback had been received, by and large, from carers.

Due to uncertainty over the capacity of care in the market providing services to people with mental health problems Cabinet had agreed to retain Fernleigh. The uncertainty would be resolved by further work with providers and the consideration of commissioning replacement services from the voluntary, community and faith sectors or the consideration of a social enterprise solution. Consultation would continue with people who used services and carers and a report would be taken to Cabinet later in the year with options, which could include the retention of Fernleigh respite centre and services continuing to be provided by the Council.

Details of those who had been awarded contracts had not been made public yet as not all of those who had successfully tendered had been informed. The Head of Integrated Communities and Well Being, Maura Noone, assured the Committee that she had contacted personally each of the people on the Learning Disability Panel to keep them updated with developments, and it was certainly not intentional if anyone did feel they had been kept ‘out of the loop’.

It was then moved by Councillor Kenny, seconded by Councillor Smith, that –

“This Committee recognises that the provision of respite services, intermediate care and home reablement services are vital to the Council’s strategy of maintaining people within their own homes and reducing the number of individuals who need full time residential care.

Committee also notes that they play a key role in preventing bed blocking on hospital wards.

This Committee remains concerned that, in changing the way these services are provided, the Council is moving too far, too fast and risks jeopardising its long term strategy and creating instead a costly surge in residential care further down the line as individuals are failed by the system and can no longer cope.

This Committee notes that the decision to keep Fernleigh open, following a lack of viable alternatives, is indicative of the dangers that exist when decisions are taken before proper alternatives have been explored and put in place.

This Committee remains to be convinced that the reality of what is happening on the ground now in any way matches the rhetoric of what the public are being told. Committee believes that this credibility gap, which continues to leave carers and service users confused and afraid, can only harm any planned change programme which should have been allowed to proceed at a pace that could be assimilated by carers and users and in a way that guaranteed the quality of services for the future.”

Following some debate on the motion it was then moved as an amendment by Councillor Bridson, seconded by Councillor Mountney, that –

“Committee recommends to Cabinet that the current process of change should continue with all due diligence for the best interests of service users and their carers, ensuring that the quality of service is maintained or improved, and that a progress report be brought to the next scheduled meeting of this Committee.”

The amendment was put and carried (6:4).

The amendment, then becoming the substantive motion, was put and it was –

Resolved (6:4) –

Committee recommends to Cabinet that the current process of change should continue with all due diligence for the best interests of service users and their carers, ensuring that the quality of service is maintained or improved, and that a progress report be brought to the next scheduled meeting of this Committee.