Issue - meetings

Mark Tyson, Group Manager, Integration and Commissioning, presented the report and proposals for further development into the final strategy and reminded the Board the Care Act 2014 enhanced the rights of carers in relation to assessment of need, provision of support and improved offer for information and advice.  The Strategy was specifically for adult care but there were clearly some benefit in aligning commissioning of the adults and children’s provision together.  Mark Tyson advised the timetable for commissioning, was set out in paragraph 3.6 of the report and officers were currently working on the assumption that the assessment of carers would be brought back in-house to LBBD and further details would be reported in due course. 

The Board’s attention was drawn to the seven proposed outcomes for the strategy, which were set out in section 2 of the report, and the headlines which will be used to inform the approach to commissioning.  The Board was advised that these would be developed further in order that the necessary consents can be obtained at the 9 December Board.

Councillor Turner indicated that it might be useful to know what was working well or less well in the current commissioning arrangements.  Mark Tyson responded that there was different support for different user groups and there had been some positive feedback.  There would be a need to look at stakeholder experiences in looking to future services, and some information would be provided in the next report.

The Chair commented that we still do not know the true number of carers, and suspected that there were many more than all the agencies were aware of.  When they are identified the Care Act would then require assessment and necessary provision to be made for them.  Sharon Morrow indicated that organisation need to embed, as common practice, how they identify carers and their needs.

Anne Bristow, Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services, indicated that what was not modelled was the cost of the assessments, and she also had concerns about putting packages together, especially as the Regulations appear to be changing yet again.  Strategy might need to have a focus on how we phase in the changes and build the service over the life of the Joint Carers Strategy. The Board needed to be aware that all partners need to be realistic on what can be delivered and get the balance right across the services.

All partners were asked to provide their comments and any information to Mark Tyson. 

Having considered the outcomes, the sources of evidence, links to other strategies and frameworks and proposed actions which would deliver the required support for carers, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, the Board:

(i)  Approved the content of Appendix 1 as the basis for the final Joint Carers Strategy, which will be presented to the Board’s 9 December 2014 meeting for final sign off; and

(ii)  Noted the proposed approach to extending the current carers’ support contract and drawing up a more  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63