Decision details

1. That the Committee note the progress made during 2015/16 and agree to use the information provided to help in future decision making.

2.  That the Committee notes the information contained within the Adult Social Care Local Account 2015-16 and approves the version of the report attached at Appendix A for publishing as final on the Council website.

Following the consideration of Cllr Patel Members’ item at the Committee’s meeting on 16 June 2016, this report will include an analysis of the performance and benchmarking data which are intended to deliver the Committee’s Commissioning Plan.

The Chairman introduced the report, which contained a review of the Adults and Safeguarding Committee Commissioning Plan for 2015/16 against the commissioning intentions and outcome measures.  The report also contained a draft of Barnet’s Local Account of Adults Social Care in 2015/16, which set out the work and achievements of the Borough’s adult social care service over the last year.

Ms. Dawn Wakeling, the Commissioning Director for Adults and Health informed the Committee that following the Member’s Item received in the name of Councillor Patel at the last meeting, the report also included detailed commentary on performance including benchmarking information.

The Committee noted that they could suggest changes to the draft Local Account which could be incorporated prior to publication of the final version.

The Chairman noted the increase in the number of requests for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards authorisation and suggested that it be made clear that legislation had been put in place which would likely account for the significant increase in requests from 2014/15 onwards. 

The Committee requested that the following changes be incorporated into the final version of the document prior to publication:

·         That it is made clear that the service users’ feedback on page 8 was received from Barnet service users.

·         That the word, “million” is removed from page 3.

Responding to a comment from a Member about the reduction in carer’s assessments, Matthew Kendall, the Adults and Communities Director informed the Committee that a number of carers go to a carer’s centre to receive assessments, but those assessments aren’t always captured, which could account for the reduction.  The Committee noted that carers are a priority for the Delivery Unit and that a contract improving the offer to carers was about to be awarded.

The Chairman moved to the vote.  Subject to the incorporation points listed above, it was unanimously RESOLVED that:

1.    The Committee note and comment on progress against the Adults and Safeguarding Committee Commissioning Plan in 2015/16 (Appendix A).

2.    The Committee approve the annual Local Account for publication on the Council’s website.