Meeting documents

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 performance against the 2017-19 Corporate Plan and population indicators for the Health 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.

Particular attention was drawn to suggested areas of focus - inequality in life span, alcohol and substance use, excess weight, mental health, cardiovascular disease, levels of physical activity in adults, percentage of children with good attendance at school, percentage of children ready to start school, percentage of 16 and 17 year olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs), and delayed transfers from hospital care.

A member suggested a twelve-month rolling programme of performance as a better means of indicating of trends.  Officers agreed to consider this.

Attention was drawn to the fact that people moving to Dorset tended to be elderly and could skew figures relating to Dorset residents living longer and that many young people moved away from Dorset and did not return until after they retired.

Officers agreed to provide members with information in relation to whether figures given for equality of lifespan and isolation took account of rural and urban areas.

The Assistant Director for Commissioning, Community Services, Partnerships and Quality confirmed that information relating to delayed transfers was correct at the time the report was written, but performance had improved and was now below the target figure of nine days, with the intention of reducing this further.  This figure was monitored on a daily basis.  Figures did include Dorset residents leaving hospital in Bournemouth and Poole.

One member referred to the percentage of clients of the alcohol treatment service drinking less at 3 months which had dropped from 60% to 38% between Quarter 4 2017-18 and Quarter 1 2018-19 and the percentage of young people who had successfully completed substance use treatment which fell from 88% to 53% during the same quarters. She was concerned about the emotional and financial cost of this and whether this was a good use of resources, Officers referred to the County Council's aim to deliver better outcomes for people and questioned whether investment in these areas was providing value for money.  It was agreed that the Chairman, Councillor Wheller, the Group Manager - Governance and Assurance Services and the Intelligence, Insight and Performance Manager would review impacts and trends and include the outcome in the next Outcomes Focused Monitoring report.

Also highlighted were the fact that suicide rates were not included, the impact of the lack of social and affordable housing, young people were leaving Dorset as they did not see a future for themselves here, the difference in residents' standards of living, impacts on residents' mental health, and the hope that the new Dorset Council might be able to improve the current situation.  Officers agreed to review suicide figures.

Resolved

1.   That the Chairman, Councillor Wheller, the Group Manager - Governance and Assurance Services and the Intelligence, Insight and Performance Manager review impacts and trends as set out above and report findings in the next Outcomes Focused Monitoring Report.

2.   That a twelve-month rolling programme of performance be considered by officers.

3.   Officers to provide members with information in relation to whether figures given for equality of lifespan and isolation took account of rural and urban areas

4.   Officers to review for suicide.