Agenda item

Further to a briefing the Committee received in June 2024 outlining Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (SBC) preparations for the anticipated assessment of its adult social care services, Members were provided with feedback on the Council’s involvement in a recent Local Government Association (LGA) Assurance Peer Challenge (undertaken ahead of the forthcoming Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection).  Presented by the SBC Director of Adults, Health and Wellbeing, and supported by the SBC Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, key information included:

·       This independent peer review was commissioned to assess the ability of the SBC adult social care service to deliver good care and support to people. 

·       An experienced LGA team conducted the review in July 2024 – this included an on-site visit and engagement with over 150 people including the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Leaders, staff, partners, people with lived experience, carers and stakeholders.  The three-day assessment was thorough and provided a snapshot of current practice (this included consideration of the Council’s Local Authority Information Return (LAIR), a draft of which was shared with the Committee in June 2024).

·       Feedback following the review was very positive (reflected within the formal report submitted to SBC which was attached to this briefing), with some strong practice, a supportive and committed workforce, and effective leadership and partnership arrangements all identified.  Opportunities for the Council to develop were also outlined – these included strengthening processes and pathways so people did not have to tell their story more than once, and addressing the multiple hand-off points that the existing ‘front door’ to services currently had.  Other elements for improvement involved better integrated working for those requiring a higher level of support, strategic leadership around transitions from children’s to adult services, housing, and workforce sustainability.

·       A number of ‘next steps’ following the peer review were outlined – these included the re-instatement of the CQC Programme Steering Group which would provide assurance oversight and monitor progress against the Action Plan which had been updated to reflect feedback from the review.  A separate six-week plan to prepare for the on-site visit had been developed to be implemented once SBC received notification from the CQC – this included key preparation activities which were being progressed with immediate effect.  In addition, a communication plan was being finalised with the SBC Communications Team – this included key messaging for all stakeholders and specific support for staff which would be developed and progressed with SBC Quality Assurance and SBC Workforce Development colleagues.

Responding to the briefing, the Committee thanked all SBC staff involved in the recent LGA Assurance Peer Challenge and were pleased to see the numerous positive aspects identified by the review team.  Members praised the decision to undertake such an exercise in advance of the CQCs anticipated visit later this year, and welcomed the honest, and at times blunt, final report from the LGA which had accompanied the briefing.

Whilst there was encouraging feedback about the current SBC adult social care offer, the Committee was keen on understanding how those areas which required strengthening were going to be addressed.  Members stated that they were not surprised to learn of the ‘front door’ issues identified by the LGA review team and expressed concern about residents being passed from ‘pillar to post’ – indeed, it was felt that this was a Council-wide problem rather than just an Adults, Health and Wellbeing directorate one.  SBC officers acknowledged that this was an area which needed attention and had already been identified as an area of focus, with work ongoing and assurances given that it would be tackled via the Council’s Powering Our Future initiative – a plan would be in place which was due to be shared with all relevant Committees for views.

Noting the timing of the recent SBC press release about the LGA peer review feedback (which was published prior to the Committee being able to consider its contents), Members sought further clarity around other issues with regards the time taken to get support into people’s homes following discharge from hospital, the repeated need for improvements to transitioning from children’s to adult services (highlighted previously by the Committee), and the future of the workforce.  Taking these in turn, SBC officers stated that the Council was looking at how it supported its Reablement Service (in terms of ‘investing to save’) and was using the Powering Our Future initiative to address transition experiences.  Regarding the latter point, workforce issues were a national problem, and a recent strategy launched by Skills for Care (the strategic workforce development and planning body for adult social care in England) was attempting to address concerns – there was also a focus on succession planning for the adult social care staffing structure.  Furthermore, it was felt that there was a need to keep valuing existing, experienced staff as well as attract new professionals into the sector.

The SBC Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care brought this item to a close by commenting that the peer review had been a reassuring process which reinforced the good things SBC already knew and identified elements where work was required (much of which the service was already addressing).  The SBC Director of Adults, Health and Wellbeing added that there was a desire for the Committee to be assured that the Council was prepared for its inspection and were on the right track, and that SBCs inspection was expected to be in December 2024 (other Tees Valley Local Authorities were due to be visited by mid-November 2024).

AGREED that the Local Government Association Assurance Challenge and Preparation for CQC Framework Assurance update be noted.