Agenda and minutes

The evacuation procedure was noted.

There were no interests declared.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 17 December 2024.

Consideration was given to the minutes from the Committee meeting held on 17 December 2024.  Attention was drawn to the following:

·       Chair’s Update and Select Committee Work Programme 2024-2025: Reference was made within the ‘Chair’s Update’ element to the planned engagement with the elderly population in relation to the forthcoming Stockton and Darlington Railway bicentenary celebrations during 2025.  Further clarity had recently been received on what was intended and would be shared with the Committee following this meeting.

As noted within the ‘Work Programme 2024-2025’ element of this item, Care Quality Commission (CQC) representatives were scheduled to present an overview of the national State of Care Annual Report 2023-2024, along with a reflection on local provision, at the January 2025 Committee meeting.  However, the CQC had recently confirmed that it would be unable to fulfil this request due to time and workload constraints.  The Committee Chair would be following this up with the CQC in due course.

AGREED that the minutes of the meeting on 17 December 2024 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Committee considered the latest Teeswide Safeguarding Adults Board (TSAB) Annual Report for 2023-2024 (full report and Strategic Business Plan for 2022-2025 was provided in advance).  Presented by the current TSAB Independent Chair (who had taken over from the previous incumbent in mid-2024), the following key features were highlighted:

·       Structure: Covering the collective footprint of Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees, TSAB comprised six statutory Board partners (the four respective Local Authorities plus Cleveland Police and the NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board), and was supported by 24 non-statutory organisations across Teesside and beyond.  The Board worked collaboratively with partners to set the strategic direction for adult safeguarding in Tees, and sought assurance from partners that they had appropriate and robust safeguarding arrangements in place.

·       Priorities: An overview of activity in relation to each of the Board’s four priority areas demonstrated a number of notable achievements throughout the 2023-2024 reporting period, including:

1)    Joint Working (developing a whole system approach): Team Around the Individual (TATI) process fully reviewed and the new and re-branded High Risk Adults Panel (HRAP) launched; Policy, Procedure and Practice (PPP) Sub-Group reinstated to review the necessary TSAB policies and procedures; Joint Working Protocol outlining the relationship and working arrangements between TSAB, Hartlepool and Stockton Safeguarding Children Partnership (HSSCP), and South Tees Safeguarding Children Partnership (STSCP) developed; Trauma-Informed Practice training / workbook made available.

2)    People (ensuring the workforce is well trained, supported and equipped): Spotlight campaign on Modern Slavery and Sexual Exploitation (featuring a presenter with lived experience); new Adult Sexual Exploitation Toolkit launched; Quality Assurance Framework Self-Audit Tool reviewed; Thirteen Housing Group winning a National SAB Excellence Award for their excellent Self-Neglect and Domestic Abuse training was promoted.

3)    Communication (provide accessible and clear information, advice and support): Annual Consultation Survey reviewed and launched, providing opportunities for professionals and the public to inform the future direction and priorities of the Board (28% increase in responses compared to 2022-2023); Safeguarding Champions Event hosted, featuring a range of guest speaker presentations; continued use of engagement opportunities with professionals to recruit Safeguarding Champions.

4)    Services (commissioned and provided to meet individual need for those most at risk): Continued oversight of the governance arrangements for the Teeswide Safe Place Scheme (involving 89 locations); several multi-agency audits undertaken (themes included TATI, sexual abuse, modern slavery, incidents between residents, hospital discharge, and s.117 aftercare); new system (Power BI) implemented to produce high-quality performance reports; TSAB stall at the Annual Catalyst Conference & Awards Event and Stockton’s Interfaith Forum to promote safeguarding materials and resources.

·       Safeguarding Data: 2023-2024 saw 7,759 safeguarding concerns raised across the TSAB footprint, an increase of 11% compared to 2022-2023 (3,021 of which related to Stockton-on-Tees, a 79% increase compared to the previous reporting year).  This equated to a Tees average of 149 concerns per week, with the highest number being received from care homes (26%), NHS secondary care (12%), and social care (12%).

TSAB reported an 11% decrease  ...  view the full minutes text for item ASCH/58/24

To consider feedback from the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) delivery partner, Peopletoo in relation to the findings of its review of local reablement provision as part of the ongoing SBC Powering Our Future-related work.

The fourth evidence-gathering session for the Committee’s ongoing review of Reablement Service focused on feedback from the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) delivery partner, Peopletoo in relation to the findings of its review of local reablement provision as part of the ongoing SBC Powering Our Future-related work.  In addition, consideration was given to tabled documents outlining service budgets / costs for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 (up to 31 December 2024) periods, and proposed survey questions for existing staff.

PEOPLETOO

The SBC Powering Our Future initiative involved a range of transformation reviews, one of which focused on supporting people to live independently.  As part of this work, the Council was exploring what reablement services needed to provide to support a broader range of people from local communities.

In 2024, SBC commissioned Peopletoo to assist the Council in assessing the impact of current ways of working and analyse the best model for continuing to support people to maximise their independence.  Peopletoo had recently completed its work and, further to a Committee request, had submitted a presentation summarising the following:

·       Project Scope – Reablement / Enablement / Rehabilitation: With a background in working alongside Local Authorities and a view to looking at ‘the art of the possible’, Peopletoo’s focus areas for its project in Stockton-on-Tees included reablement expansion, covering both people being discharged from hospital and people in the community.  To get from where the service was now to where it needed to be, key lines of enquiry included:

o   Who / what was the optimum population the reablement service could expanded to in order to accommodate more hospital discharge / community support (return on investment / impact on people's lives)?

o   What was the most efficient model to deliver the new service (not just more staff, but technology, good practice, etc.)?

o   What size / type of reablement service would be needed to make a positive impact on people with a learning disability / autism / mental health needs through a reablement offer?

o   What would be the most effective method of delivering the service to people with a learning disability / autism / mental health needs?

·       Peopletoo Review Activity: A range of interactions were undertaken which involved visits and shadowing teams, case reviews with professionals within Stockton-on-Tees, conversations with senior and regional leaders, and the analysis / benchmarking of data.  Peopletoo encountered no barriers when conducting its work and found a positive culture across the Borough which reflected the openness and honesty of professionals.

·       Overview of key findings from Reablement: Peopletoo was currently working with SBC to validate data – once the full report was finalised, representatives were happy to report back to the Committee if required.  Prior to this, some headline findings were relayed in relation to improved independence outcomes, increasing referrals, challenges with declined referrals, staff and workforce development, digital and technological integration, benchmarking and performance, and cost and resource efficiency.

·       Overview of key findings from Hospital Discharge: Headline findings regarding reablement uptake, delays  ...  view the full minutes text for item ASCH/59/24

CHAIR’S UPDATE

The Committee Chair highlighted the recent Tees Valley Joint Health Scrutiny Committee meeting which was held on 9 January 2025 in Hartlepool.  Agenda items included a further update on Tees Respite Care, a Clinical Services Strategy Update, a Palliative and End-of-Life Care Strategy presentation, and a North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) performance update.

WORK PROGRAMME 2024-2025

Consideration was given to the Committee’s current work programme.  The next meeting was due to take place on 18 February 2025 where the final evidence-gathering session for the ongoing Reablement Service review would include contributions from the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector via Catalyst.  The latest quarterly CQC / PAMMS inspection update (Q3 2024-2025) was also due, and a Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment presentation was anticipated following a request by the Committee.

AGREED that the Chair’s Update and Adult Social Care and Health Select Committee Work Programme 2024-2025 be noted.