Issue - meetings

This report summarises an evaluation of the Home Care restructure, which took place in December 2006, and considers what lessons and implications there are for the future development of Home Care across the City.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to agree changes being made between the levels of service in line with need and demand, within delegated authority and that where changes require member approval a further report be provided.

 Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:             To ensure better sustainability and cost effectiveness for home care services, to better reflect the actual demand for the new services and to provide customers with as seamless a service as possible.

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Members considered a report, which summarised an evaluation of the Home Care restructure, which had taken place in December 2006. The evaluation compared the intentions set out in the June 2006 EMAP report with the current position of home care services to assess the level of achievement of the planned changes. The evaluation had considered the outcomes and the process and had gone on to consider what lessons and implications there were for the future development of Home Care across the City.

It was reported that the new contracts had come into place on 4 December 2006 together with the new and additional CYC provision, the service now being in operation for seven months. The report summarised the present position and the benefits, some of which would only be measurable in the long term. It was confirmed that the changes to Home Care services had played a major part in addressing the projected £1.6k deficit in the Adult Social Services budget and helped deliver a surplus of £205k at the 2006/07 year end.

Officers confirmed that phasing of the service over a longer period would have been preferable but that this had not been possible. It had been highlighted that communication with customers was important and the recent customer satisfaction survey had shown that levels had now risen back to 2005 levels of 95%.  It was also confirmed that the data collected did not include the goodwill of the carers, which was also important.

Certain Members referred to problems, which had arisen during the changes when care had been disrupted to a number of customers. Members had urged that any changes should be carried out in a sensitive manner and that good communication was key.

The Executive Member confirmed that with hindsight a better way forward may have been the appointment of one dedicated person to co-ordinate the change.  

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to agree changes being made between the levels of service in line with need and demand, within delegated authority and that where changes require member approval a further report be provided.

 Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:             To ensure better sustainability and cost effectiveness for home care services, to better reflect the actual demand for the new services and to provide customers with as seamless a service as possible.