Agenda item

The Chairman addressed the Committee in regard to the recent Your Choice Barnet inspection and made the following points in summary

• That he had informed officers that he was to bring this as an Urgent Member’s Item to the present meeting, but that he would now provide a brief statement prior to the public questions to assist all present and to remind the public therewith of the rules concerning public questions and comment.  He also informed the committee that the topic will also be considered later in the agenda as a Member’s Item had been submitted in the name of Councillor Rawlings.
• That the Barnet Supported Living Service has five schemes across the Borough, providing support to adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs and autism. Three of the schemes are self-contained flats and two are shared houses, and all schemes are staffed 24 hours a day and are overseen by a registered manager.
• That the Service was inspected by the CQC on 6^th and 7^th August 2014 – using a new inspection process which was then in pilot phase– with a report which was published on CQC’s website on 26^th February 2015 (and then updated on 3^rd March 2015).  He indicated that the delay between the inspection visit and the publication of the report, including the ratings is a matter of concern. 
• That Officers advised that Your Choice Barnet were not informed of the inspection outcome until 1^st February 2015, and council officers were then made aware of the inspection report and the rating by YCB later that month, on 13^th February 2015, and that he had been made aware thereafter. At this point, the inspection report was embargoed by CQC until publication. 
• That he had instructed officers to write to the CQC expressing concern about the delay.
• That the Service had previously been inspected on 29^th January 2013 and on 9^th September 2013 under the CQC’s previous inspection regime and received positive inspections.
• The January 2013 inspection found that four out of the five standards were met and the September 2013 inspection found that all five standards were met.
• He provided an outline of the new CQC inspection criteria.
• That Council Officers confirmed they had been working with Your Choice Barnet on the actions needed to address the issues set out in the report, through the formal contract management procedures.
• That Officers from Adults and Communities confirmed they had been making regular monitoring visits and the care needs and safety of all service users were being reviewed by a member of the Learning Disabilities social work team.
• That a detailed action plan is being developed by YCB and agreed by the YCB Board in order to ensure progress is made against all the issues highlighted in the report.
• That he had requested Officers to bring a report to the next Adults and Safeguarding Committee on the progress of implementing improvements to the Service.

Details of the questions asked and the published answers were provided with the agenda papers for the meeting. Verbal responses were given to supplementary questions at the meeting.

Mr. Tony Solomons made a public comment in relation to Agenda Item 7 (Your Choice Barnet Task and Finish Group) Members asked questions following the comment which were answered by Mr. Solomons. 

Ms. Janet Leifer made a public comment in relation to Agenda Item 7 (Your Choice Barnet, Task and Finish Group – update report) on behalf of Mr. John Sullivan. Members asked questions following the comments which were answered by Ms. Leifer.