Agenda item

Final Report Arising from Carers' Review

This report presents the findings of the Carers’ Review undertaken by the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee Task Group. Cllr Boyce, as Chair of the Committee and the Task Group, will be in attendance to present the Group’s final report.

Note: copies of the A5 booklet style final report have been distributed with this agenda to Members only. The final report can also be viewed on-line.

Decision:

RESOLVED: That the following be agreed as the Executive’s response to the recommendations of the Carers’ Review Task Group:

Task Group Recommendation	Executive Comments
a) That health commissioners and providers ensure that there is greater consistency around how carers are identified and once identified their needs addressed. This would need to include: Training in carer awareness for all health professionals and allied staff That the hospital looks at extending the innovative approaches they have been piloting and embedding these into standard practices for all admissions and discharges That a written report be provided to the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee on a six monthly basis in relation to quality indicators that are being monitored in respect of carers.	Agree subject to assessment of training budgets, and accepting that the council can advise the Hospital Trust but that they are the body charged with responsibilities for activities in the hospital.
b) That the Multi-Agency Carer’s Strategy Group identifies where it would be helpful to provide public information about what it means to be a carer and how to access support to enable carers to identify themselves earlier. Where places are identified carer awareness training should be made available for key workers.	Agree
c) That City of York Council reviews its Equalities Framework to ensure that carers become an integral part of all equality andinclusion work and this to include: Inviting a carer representative to become a member of the Equalities Advisory Group	Agree that CYC review its Equalities Framework, and takes to the next meeting of the Equalities Advisory Group the proposal that a carer representative be invited to join.
d) That health commissioners ensure that all care pathways provide guidance on the information and advice carers will need regarding specific medical conditions as well as sign-posting them to support and advice. This will need to address what the impact might be on: The carer The family as a whole The cared for person	Agree
e) That Adult Social Services develop a clear pathway, which provides an integrated approach to assessment for the whole family whilst recognising the individual needs within the family and the impact of caring on the carer	Agree
f) To continue to promote carer awareness an annual update on the Carers Strategy for York be presented to the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee and thereafter to the Executive Member for Health & Adult Social Services.	Agree that the Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Services should receive an annual report updating the Carers Strategy, and that the same report should be submitted to the Health and Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

REASON: In order to provide an appropriate response to the recommendations of the Task Group and to recognise, and encourage awareness of, the work carried out by carers in York, including young carers.

Minutes:

Members considered a report which presented the findings of the Carers’ Review Task Group, set up by the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee with the aim of raising awareness of carers in York and improving access to information for carers. Cllr Boyce, as Chair of the Committee and the Task Group, was in attendance to present the report.

The recommendations arising from the Task Group’s review were set out in paragraphs 4 and 5 of the cover report. The implications of accepting the recommendations were outlined in paragraphs 11 to 13. The Group’s final report had been circulated separately to Members as an A5 booklet and made available on the Council’s website.

Having noted the comments of the Labour Group Spokespersons on this item, it was

RESOLVED: That the following be agreed as the Executive’s response to the recommendations of the Carers’ Review Task Group:

Task Group Recommendation	Executive Comments
a) That health commissioners and providers ensure that there is greater consistency around how carers are identified and once identified their needs addressed. This would need to include: Training in carer awareness for all health professionals and allied staff That the hospital looks at extending the innovative approaches they have been piloting and embedding these into standard practices for all admissions and discharges That a written report be provided to the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee on a six monthly basis in relation to quality indicators that are being monitored in respect of carers.	Agree subject to assessment of training budgets, and accepting that the council can advise the Hospital Trust but that they are the body charged with responsibilities for activities in the hospital.
b) That the Multi-Agency Carer’s Strategy Group identifies where it would be helpful to provide public information about what it means to be a carer and how to access support to enable carers to identify themselves earlier. Where places are identified carer awareness training should be made available for key workers.	Agree
c) That City of York Council reviews its Equalities Framework to ensure that carers become an integral part of all equality andinclusion work and this to include: Inviting a carer representative to become a member of the Equalities Advisory Group	Agree that CYC review its Equalities Framework, and takes to the next meeting of the Equalities Advisory Group the proposal that a carer representative be invited to join.
d) That health commissioners ensure that all care pathways provide guidance on the information and advice carers will need regarding specific medical conditions as well as sign-posting them to support and advice. This will need to address what the impact might be on: The carer The family as a whole The cared for person	Agree
e) That Adult Social Services develop a clear pathway, which provides an integrated approach to assessment for the whole family whilst recognising the individual needs within the family and the impact of caring on the carer	Agree
f) To continue to promote carer awareness an annual update on the Carers Strategy for York be presented to the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee and thereafter to the Executive Member for Health & Adult Social Services.	Agree that the Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Services should receive an annual report updating the Carers Strategy, and that the same report should be submitted to the Health and Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Supporting documents: