Decision details

This report provided an update on adult social care, both locally and nationally. It included details on demand within the sector and budget as well as information on key work which had taken place within the last six months. Adult social care had:-

·         Provided advice, guidance and support to an average of 3,200 residents each month. This was helping to manage the increase in demand for support.

·         Improved the way that the Home Independence Team works. This had increased the capacity within the team, which had improved the number of hours it had been able to work with residents from 471 hours per week in November 2023 to 652 hours in January 2024.

·         Made improvements to hospital discharge. Adult social care staff were now working with NHS staff as part of an integrated team to assess people in hospital ready for discharge. Staff were also working with NHS in the Transfer of Care Hub, a single unit that organised discharges from hospital. As a result of these changes there has been a 40% reduction in the number of people who were waiting in hospital unnecessarily when they were medically fit for discharge.

As a result of more people going home or straight into a permanent placement, the improved support to residents had also helped the system to reduce the number of interim care home discharge beds. These have been reduced from 46 in March 2023 to 20 in March 2024 and the length of stay in such beds had also reduced to 41 days.  These changes have been better for people leaving hospital and had meant a better use of available capacity for the system.

However, alongside improvements and successes, adult social care was still experiencing some significant challenges, including:

·         Increasing demand for services and support for people with  more complex needs

·         Increasing unit costs for services, with external care providers struggling with recruitment pressures and a high cost of living

·         The national shortage of qualified professionals

·         The high number of safeguarding referrals made to the Council, which was twice the rate of similar authorities. When triaged, it was clear that many of these referrals did not relate to safeguarding issues.

RESOLVED –

That the latest developments in relation to adult social care, both locally and nationally, be NOTED.