Issue - meetings

(a)       That the report be noted;

(b)       That a further update report be submitted to the Committee in six months time; and

(c)        That the GP locality lead be invited to attend a future meeting of the Committee.                          

The Intake and Reablement Service Manager introduced the report to provide Members with an update of the progress of Enhanced Care at Home in Flintshire. 

She detailed the background to the report, explaining that the scheme had been launched in North West Flintshire in September 2013 and that some areas had been learned from a scheme which had been undertaken in Denbighshire.  A number of patients had been admitted to the scheme, mostly from General Practitioners (GPs) in Flint, and work was still ongoing with GPs in Holywell.  The service was now fully staffed with an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP), a number of band five nurses, social workers and administration support in post. 

The Intake and Reablement Service Manager explained that the referral process to  enhanced care which was either a ‘step up’ from home or ‘step down’ from hospital.  She detailed the process involved and said that most people were on the scheme for a week or two and to date, 26 patients had been admitted to Enhanced Care.  During their stay in Enhanced Care an assessment was carried out by the ANP and a decision was reached on whether the patient would be discharged to reablement or to their home.  The total budget for Flintshire was just under £1m and this had been toploaded in the North West Flintshire budget to support a vehicle to transport equipment to support people in their own homes; the budget for Holywell was £385,447.  The Intake and Reablement Service Manager detailed some of the feedback that had been received from families who had been admitted to Enhanced Care.        

            In response to a question from Councillor Hilary McGuill about whether the service was working, the Intake and Reablement Service Manager said that she felt it had been successful so far but added that she would welcome Holywell GPs being more engaged with the service.  She added that the lead GP had been visiting colleagues and it was hoped that this and the positive feedback that had been received from those admitted to Enhanced Care would encourage them to take part.  The issue had also been raised at the Strategic Partnership Board meeting attended by the Director of Community Services. 

            Councillor McGuill sought clarification about when weekend assessments would commence and also asked what happened to the patients after the end of the two week period.  The Intake and Reablement Service Manager responded that an assessment was carried out and as a result of this, some patients may require reablement and then additional assessments would identify whether discharge to home was appropriate or whether the patient required further reablement or admission to hospital.  She felt that weekend assessments would be considered when an additional two ANPs were in post. 

            Councillor Stella Jones asked for further information on the financial costs and queried whether those not able to pay for the Enhanced Care would be admitted to hospital.  She felt that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) were under increased pressure to empty  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46