Meeting documents

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Graham Carr-Jones, Clare Sutton and William Trite.

Members are required to comply with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 regarding disclosable pecuniary interests.

·         Check if there is an item of business on this agenda in which the member or other relevant person has a disclosable pecuniary interest.

·         Check that the interest has been notified to the Monitoring Officer (in writing) and entered in the Register (if not this must be done on the form available from the clerk within 28 days).

·         Disclose the interest at the meeting (in accordance with the County Council’s Code of Conduct) and in the absence of a dispensation to speak and/or vote, withdraw from any consideration of the item.

The Register of Interests is available on Dorsetforyou.com and the list of disclosable pecuniary interests is set out on the reverse of the form.

There were no declarations by members of disclosable pecuniary interests under the Code of Conduct.

Councillor Mark Roberts declared an interest as his company had a small adult care contract with the County Council and would not take part in any discussions about contracting arrangements.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2018 were confirmed and signed.

To consider a report by the Transformation Programme Lead for Adult and Community Forward Together Programme.

The Committee considered a report by the Transformation Programme Lead for Adult and Community Forward Together Programme which set out Cabinet decisions arising from Committee recommendations and outstanding actions identified at previous meetings.

Noted

To receive any questions or statements by members of the public.

Public Speaking

There were no public questions, statements or petitions received at the meeting in accordance with Standing Orders.

To consider a report by the Transformation Programme Lead for Adult and Community Forward Together Programme.

The Committee considered a report by the Transformation Programme Lead for the Adult and Community Forward Together Programme which set out performance against the 2017-19 Corporate Plan and population indicators for the Healthy and Independent outcomes.  The report also included performance measures which showed the Council's Services contribution and impact on outcomes, and risk management information relating to outcomes and population indicators.

Following the last meeting, a meeting of the Chairman, Councillor Wheller, the Group Manager - Governance and Assurance, and the Intelligence, Insight and Performance Manager took place to look at the report format and how information was presented.  As a result, the format had been changed to provide clearer and more user-friendly information.  Feedback on the new format was welcomed.  Members noted that a review of reports for the new Dorset Council was to be undertaken.

With regard to actions arising from the last meeting, it was explained that figures for social isolation had been reviewed and had not been skewed by people moving to live in Dorset.  A survey on social isolation had been issued to all residents through Your Dorset and an analysis of the findings along with other intelligence would be reported to the meeting on 14 March 2019.  The previously reported decline in recovery rates for alcohol and substance abuse seemed to reflect a change in the recording of data and future performance was expected to improve.  The current report format would continue but a 12 month rolling cycle of information would be considered as part of the report review for the new Dorset Council.

Members' attention was drawn to key points within the report relating to the Healthy outcome: inequality of life expectancy, depression recorded prevalence and under 75s cardiovascular mortality.  The Cabinet Member for Health and Care added that although cardiovascular mortality rates were better than the national average overall for Dorset, there were pockets where life expectancy was a lot worse.  She referred to various boards who were taking action to target resources to these areas.

It was noted that information regarding the Healthy outcome was currently done on a Dorset-wide basis.  Work was underway to move towards measuring outcomes on a whole life process so that in future much more up to date figures and to a greater depth could be presented at meetings.  Progress would be reported in due course.

With regard to the Independent outcome, attention was drawn to under-performance at Key Stage 2.  Members noted that the newly established Dorset Improvement Board was beginning to have a positive effect on performance in this area.

Resolved

That information on the outcomes of the social isolation survey be included in the outcomes focus monitoring report to be considered at the meeting on 14 March 2019.

To consider a report by the Assistant Director - Commissioning, Community Services, Partnership and Quality.

The Committee considered a report by the Assistant Director - Commissioning, Community Services, Partnerships and Quality on the future funding arrangements for the Red House Museum, Christchurch. 

The report had been requested by the Red House Museum's Joint Management Committee following concerns about changes to local government and the need to ensure that the new governance arrangements were safe and legal when they came into operation on 1 April 2019.  At this time the Museum would be in the administrative area covered by the new Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.

Members supported the action taken to transfer the interests of the County Council to the new arrangements to facilitate the continued progress of the Red House Museum as an asset for the local community and tourist attractions.

Resolved

That the report be noted and the action taken to transfer the interests of the County Council to the new arrangements to facilitate the continued progress of the Red House Museum as an asset for the local community and tourist attractions be supported.

To receive a presentation from the Transformation Programme Lead for Adult and Community Forward Together Programme.

The Committee received a presentation from the Transformation Programme Lead for the Adult and Community Forward Together Programme which set out winter pressures and interventions in place to address these following increased investment, and details of delayed discharge performance for 2018 and up to 9 January 2019. 

The slides provided members with an opportunity to scrutinise current performance and demonstrated that winter planning had gone well so far.  At the time of the meeting there were two delayed discharges which were waiting assessment, two which involved complex cases and no delayed discharges in community hospitals.  Staff were praised for their hard work which had resulted in the current performance.

A member commented that the current practice meant that care providers could respond more rapidly to requests for care packages for those awaiting discharge from hospital.  However, he asked that Friday email lists showing packages required be sent earlier in the day so as to avoid delays over the weekend. 

Members received a brief explanation of how the care system worked for those with and without mental capacity.  The need for members of the public to be able to access proper advice about long term care was highlighted.

Noted

To consider a report by the Service Director, Environment, Infrastructure and Economy.

The Committee considered a report by the Service Director - Environment, Infrastructure and Economy which had been provided following a request at the previous meeting for an update on community transport.

Attention was drawn to support provided by the Dorset Travel Team for Service CB3 linking Bridport, Crewkerne and Beaminster;  for Yeovil , Kingston Maurward and Weymouth Colleges for post 16 Education transport; work with community transport action groups and the establishment of a new group  in Blandford, continuing work with the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group on non-emergency transport, a new community transport scheme in Stalbridge and North Dorset, and a new voluntary car scheme.  Attention was also drawn to the work of the Communications Team in promoting alternative transport provision through various media channels.

The actions taken by Dorset Travel to support community transport groups were welcomed.  In response to members' concern, the Service Director confirmed that some resources to support community transport would be provided by the new Dorset Council. 

Resolved

That the approach being taken by Dorset Travel be supported.

To consider a report by the Commissioning Manager.

The Committee considered a report by the Commissioning Manager which provided a further update on progress against the action plan arising from the Mental Health enquiry day held on 13 December 2017.

Attention was drawn to the fact that mental health was being scrutinised not only by the People and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee but also by the Dorset Health Scrutiny Committee.  There would be a need to separate roles and avoid duplication under the new Dorset Council.

The Review's Lead Member drew attention to the main issue raised at the enquiry day which was access to services and the experience of service users and their carers.  Since then there had been an increase in the number of self-referrals and take up through community mental health teams. 

In response to what was being done for hard to reach groups such as the farming community and veterans which were identified in the report, members noted that funding of £274k had been awarded to deliver the Armed Forces Covenant across Dorset and the devised action plan targeted 8 key areas for veterans and their families including health and wellbeing and mental health support.  The Government had recently issued a strategy for veterans and this very much reflected the Dorset action plan.  Copies of the strategy and action plan would be provided for members by email following the meeting.

One member drew attention to an email he had received from a resident highlighting the Cabinet's decision to charge people for attendance at Day Centres when they were unable to attend which he felt was unreasonable.  The Cabinet Member for Health and Care explained that all residents had to be treated equally.  All residents attending Day Centres were assessed financially and paid the appropriate rate.  As costs remained the same regardless of attendance, attendees were expected to pay the allotted rates regardless of attendance, although members noted that there were some exceptions.

With regard to the farming community, mental health was a particular issue for rural areas.  Members noted that the National Farmers Union and the Farming Community Network had done some work on this area and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution were working on isolation issues.

There was some discussion about the need for equal access to services for all, not just the hard to reach groups, the unwillingness to share health issues by some groups, and the difficulty of accessing mental health services in some areas in Dorset.  Members noted that Adult and Community Services service design work would address demand issues and the reskilling of the workforce to meet future demand.

In response to a question about mental health governance, members were informed that since November 2018 the Council had been providing its own out of hours emergency duty service and this had been amalgamated with the mental health act hub.  The new service provided more resilience for carrying out mental health assessments and a better response for those in crisis.  As demand was continuing to rise, members asked  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To receive the People and Communities Overview & Scrutiny Work Programme. 

The Committee considered a report by the Transformation Programme Lead for the Adult and Community Forward Together Programme which set out the Committee's work programme.

Members were informed that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had previously written to the Leader of the Shadow Dorset Council and Chairman of its Shadow Overview and Scrutiny Committee setting out Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programmes and, at its next meeting, were to identify key topics for possible future scrutiny by the new Council.  A number of items had already been identified (Personal Independent Payments, Universal Benefits, Children out of school (ie children missing education and school exclusions), domestic abuse and delayed transfers of care).  Members asked that homelessness, social isolation, mental health and integrated transport be added to this list.

Resolved

1.   That the meeting scheduled to take place on 14 March 2019 would go ahead.

2.   That reports on assessing mental health act figures and the outcomes from the social isolation survey be provided for this meeting.

3.   That homelessness, social isolation, mental health and integrated transport be added to the list of items for potential scrutiny by the new Dorset Council.

To answer any questions received in writing by the Chief Executive by not later than 10.00am on 4 January 2019.

No questions were asked by members under Standing Order 20(2).