Agenda item

To provide an overview of the work of the Adult Services directorate including financial position.

Ms Karen Smith, Director of Adult Services presented the Adult Services overview report to the Committee.

Ms Smith advised that the remit of the Adult Social Care Teams, both community and hospital based service was to support and promote the wellbeing of vulnerable adults across Blackpool.

Adult Social Care had continued to feel the impact of post pandemic changes in people’s working lives and staffing issues in both the care sector as a whole and the NHS.  Staff had been working a hybrid model, which afforded staff flexibility.  Following the implementation of flexible working, the service had seen a reduction in staff turnover.  A number of Social Work students who had graduated had since been offered jobs.

Ms Smith advised that the Services nationally had experienced an increase in demand following the pandemic.  Delay in contacting health professionals, misdiagnosis, the increase in complexity of care needs and struggles around poverty were reported as a key area for concern.

An Adult Social Care Recovery Plan had been developed which would be closely monitored by the Senior Leadership Team and a number of key officers across the department.

Ms Smith advised that she would be arranging an event for Members to provide a more detailed explanation of the service as a whole.  This would allow Members the opportunity to meet key officers and ask a variety of questions.

Members expressed apprehensions with regards to the Virtual Ward service, but Ms Smith clarified that this service would reduce the need for patients to be in a hospital bed, by conducting tests at home.  It was estimated that the total number of virtual ward patients would be equivalent to one full hospital.

Members requested that they be provided with details of community based initiatives.  Ms Smith advised that an information sharing event ‘Spring into Spring’ had taken place at the Winter Gardens.  A further larger event was planned for the autumn, ‘Active in Autumn’ and invited all Members to attend.

Members were advised that a Carers / Social Workers event had taken place, which focused on promotion of services, networking and appreciation of staff.  Ms Smith advised that this could be rolled out to all members of staff, focusing on Health and Wellbeing.

The Council had started to embed the ‘3 Conversations’ approach within Adult and Social Care. 

With regards to the Assessment and Rehabilitation Centre (ARC) Ms Smith advised that the unit had been utilised for short term care whilst the onward place of care was being finalised.  This had had a positive impact and some of the patients had left the service in a much healthier and mobile position.

Discussion took place with regards to the time limits / restraints of the ARC service.  Ms Smith explained that whilst there was no deadline as such, there was a national standard in place of up to six weeks.  This was assessed on an individual basis and determined by the complexity of their needs.

The Committee Agreed:

1.      With regards to the ‘3 Conversations’ approach within Adult and Social Care, Members requested an update to the Committee at the six month point, and it was requested that this should include details of the impact of the service, and where possible, real life stories should be presented.

2.      Members requested Ms Smith contribute to the Committee’s workplanning workshop by providing key areas of focus.  This would be submitted to the Chair prior to the workplanning workshop date 20 July 2023.