Agenda and minutes

The evacuation procedure was noted.

There were no interests declared.

To approve the minutes of the last meeting held on 18 February 2025

With regard to item 64 of the minutes – Scrutiny Review of Reablement Service, it was confirmed that the full findings of the Peopletoo report would not be available until May and it was not known when the results of the CQC inspection of SBC Adult Social Care Services would be available.

AGREED that the minutes of the meeting held on 18 February 2025 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To consider and agree the draft final report.

Consideration was given to the draft final report following the Select Committee’s review of the Reablement Service.

The relevant Cabinet Member and Assistant Director were also in attendance for the item to share their views on the outcome of the review.

Members of the Select Committee commented that the process of completing the review had allowed them to gain a detailed understanding of the Council’s Reablement Service and they placed on record their thanks to the Scrutiny Officer for guiding them through this multi-disciplinary service. Members highlighted:

·         The review had established that the extended reablement service was doing an excellent job but needed support from partners to achieve the Council Plan objectives to enable people to remain independent and live well at home.

·         Recommendations to the ICB asked them to prioritise reablement services as an integral part of the care and health strategy.

·         Recommendations 2,3 and 4 sought to strengthen links with hospital discharge and other services.

·         Recommendations 5,6 and 7 referenced the Peopletoo review and outcome of the recent CQC inspection. In order for the Select Committee report to be as robust and comprehensive as possible, Members felt that it was essential that these last pieces of evidence were scrutinised prior to concluding the review and reporting to Cabinet.

·         Successful implementation of review actions also linked in to the Cabinet portfolio for Access, Communities and Community Safety (recognising the contribution of Community Support Workers to address loneliness and isolation and through person to person communications to help those in need to fully access support from the voluntary and community sector) and the Cabinet portfolio for Environment, Leisure and Culture (in respect of policies on the display of promotional material).

The Cabinet Member suggested that the report could be presented to Cabinet as it stood with a caveat that when the awaited reports were received, the report could be revisited if Scrutiny Members felt further clarification /discussion was required.

Councillor Lynn Hall proposed and Councillor John Coulson seconded that submission of the Select Committee’s final report to Cabinet be delayed until the Select Committee were in receipt of the full findings of the Peopletoo report and the outcome of the CQC inspection of SBC Adult Social Care Services. On being put to the vote, the motion was carried (3 in favour, 1 against and 2 abstentions) and it was:

AGREED that submission of the Select Committee’s final report to Cabinet be delayed until the Select Committee are in receipt of the full findings of the Peopletoo report and the outcome of the CQC inspection of SBC Adult Social Care Services.

Progress report for the previously completed Care at Home review.

The Select Committee was asked to consider the evidence and assessments of progress contained within the Progress Update on the implementation of previously agreed recommendations in relation to the review of Care at Home.

The progress update set out actions in respect of the following recommendations which were presented for Select Committee approval and assessed as fully complete:

Recommendation 2: A regular feature is included within Stockton News regarding the local Care at Home sector (i.e. good news story, staffing opportunities, etc.).

All actions were now fully achieved. Monthly SWAPS were proving effective with between 6-12 people accessing the programme. To date 42 providers had engaged with interviewing on the SWAP Programme.

Providers requested support from the Employment and Training Hub on a regular basis to fill vacancies and CVs from prospective candidates were shared with Providers.  Providers were now regularly advertising vacancies on the Hub Portal.

Recruitment and retention had improved across the sector.

Recommendation 4: SBC reinforce with local providers the need to ensure service-users and their families / informal carers are fully (and repeatedly) aware of how to raise an issue / complaint regarding the care they are receiving (including directly to the provider themselves or to SBC) and that this is responded to in a timely manner.

All actions were now fully achieved.

Members referred to the complaints data that had been provided as part of the March 2024 update and requested that up to date complaints information be circulated to the Select Committee.

Recommendation 5: Providers ensure their back-office functions are adequately staffed and that appropriate mechanisms are in place to keep service-users updated on any changes to planned visits (whether these be in relation to timings or actual staff attending).

Recommendation 6: As far as possible, providers set a multiple-week rolling staff rota and that this is shared on a weekly basis with service-users (and, where relevant, families / informal carers).

All actions were now fully achieved and all six Care at Home providers had a full PAMMS assessment completed by the end of March 2024. Any areas that were scored as Requires Improvement (RI) on PAMMS had measures put in place by the provider to ensure service was delivered to a Good standard. Assurance for this had been evidenced through contractual meetings.

Recommendation 7: SBC, in conjunction with local providers, continues in its efforts to raise the profile of the care sector within the Borough.  To boost the status of care workers and give reassurance to those individuals / families seeking support, this should include lobbying for Care at Home staff to be regulated through a national register (e.g. inclusion within the Health and Care Professions Council) and investigating the feasibility of a local register.

All actions were now fully achieved. Support from SBC towards the wider Skills for Care Workforce Strategy meant that discussions and progress for registration for Care workers was now being picked up nationally and at the right level to produce an impact.

Managers were engaged in registration with  ...  view the full minutes text for item ASCH/5/25

The Select Committee considered an update on the work of the regional health scrutiny committees and health related developments.

The Tees Valley Joint Health Scrutiny Committee had met on 9 January and 13 March and items discussed had included:

·         University Hospitals Tees: Clinical Services Strategy Update (Group Model)

·         NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB): Improving Palliative and End-of-Life Care across the Tees Valley

·         North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS): Staff Safety and Performance Update

·         NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB): Tees Respite Care / Short Breaks Service Update

·         North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS): Quality Account for 2024-2025

·         Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV): Quality Account priorities update 2024-2025

·         Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV): Crisis Screening, Triage and Assessment Overview (Durham and Tees Valley)

Wider health developments highlighted included:

·         NHS ‘Be wise, immunise’ campaign

·         NENC ICB ‘Here to help you’ webpage

·         Big Conversation Women’s Health Report

·         Expansion of community water fluoridation across the North-East confirmed in March 2025

·         A region-wide campaign to tackle medicines waste

·         Plans to bring NHS England (NHSE) back into the Department of Health and Social Care

·         North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust developments publicised in recent weeks

AGREED that the update be noted.

The Select Committee received, for its information, the Health and Wellbeing Board Forward Plan and the minutes of the meetings held on 25 September 2024, 30 October 2024 and 27 November 2024.

AGREED that the update be noted.

The Chair had no further updates.

Consideration was given to the current work programme. The Scrutiny Officer would liaise with other officers to schedule reconsideration of the final report of the reablement review together with the full findings of the Peopletoo report and CQC outcome.

Following scoping, evidence sessions would need to be scheduled for the Select Committee’s next in depth review of carers support.

AGREED that the Adult Social Care and Health Select Committee Work Programme 2025 – 2026 be noted.