Agenda item

The Health Overview Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) completed a Carer’s Review in 2010/11.  The Committee recommended that the Cabinet Member for Health & Social Services should receive an annual report updating the Carers Strategy and that the same report should be submitted to the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee.  The report was submitted to the Cabinet Member 22 November 2011.This report’s purpose is to update the Committee.

Members received a report which included; an annual update on the Carer’s Strategy, an update on the Implementation of the Recommendations arising from the Carer’s Review and a six monthly report in relation to the Indicators being monitored in relation to carers.

Officers highlighted improvements that had come about as a result of the Carers Review such as; improved information for Carers and an active Carer’s Forum.

It was reported that on the six-monthly report in relation to the indicators being monitored, that NHS North Yorkshire and York had sought clarification on which quality indicators wanted to have further clarification on what the quality indicators recommendation Aiii) of the review was referring to.

It was agreed that the Scrutiny Officer would clarify this and inform NHS North Yorkshire and York in writing.

Discussion took place on the implementation of recommendations arising from the Carer’s Review that the Committee had made as a result of the review. They were asked to consider which, if any, of the recommendations they would like to be deemed as complete. Those recommendations that the Committee deemed complete were;

·        (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.

·        (Bi)    Where places are identified carer awareness training should be made available to key workers.

·        (C) and (Ci) That City of York Council reviews its Equalities Framework to ensure that carers become an integral part of all equality and inclusion work and this to include; inviting a carer representative to become a member of the Equalities Advisory Group (EAG). (York Carers Forum representatives now attended EAG.

·        (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: i) The Carer, ii) The family as a whole and iii) The cared for person

The Committee felt that the following recommendations were still ongoing and wished to be updated on the progress of their implementation. These were;

·        (A), (Ai), (Aii) and (Aiii) That Health Commissioners and providers ensure that there is greater consistency around how carers are identified and once identified their needs addressed and this to include; (Ai) Training in carer awareness for all health professionals and allied staff (Aii) That the hospital looks at extending the innovative approaches they have been piloting and embedding these into standard practices for all admissions and discharges and (Aiii) That a written report be provided to the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee on a sixth monthly basis in relation to quality indicators that are being monitored in respect of carers.

·        (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.

·        (F)     To continue to promote carer awareness, an annual update on the Carer’s Strategy for York be presented to the Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee and thereafter to the Cabinet Member for Health, Housing & Adult Social Services.

The Chair commented that the Committee wished for an annual update on the Carer’s Review to be considered at next December’s meeting.

RESOLVED:       (i)      That the report be noted.

(ii)      That recommendations (Bi), (C), (Ci) and (D) be signed off as complete.

(iii)     That recommendations (A), (Ai), (Aii), (Aiii) and (E) remain in progress and a further update report be received by the Committee in nine months time.

(iv)    That the Scrutiny Officer write to NHS North Yorkshire and York in order to clarify which quality indicators for carers they wish to receive information on (recommendation A iii) refers)

(v)     That a report on the indicators being monitored in relation to carers be brought to the Committee in approximately six months time.

REASON:                     To comply with the recommendations of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and to highlight the importance of the work of Carers in accordance with the Council’s Corporate Strategy.