Issue - meetings

That the Committee is satisfied that the draft report provides an accurate and clear account of social care in Flintshire.

The Chief Officer (Social Services) introduced a report on the draft annual report on the effectiveness of the Authority’s social care services and priorities for improvement. 

The Chief Officer provided background information and reported that the Annual Report had been prepared following an in-depth review of current performance by the Social Services Senior Management Team, Service Managers and Performance Officers.  The improvement priorities contained within the Report were aligned to the priorities contained within the Social Services Business Plan for 2015/16 and associated efficiency plans.  He explained that a Member Task and Finish Group had shaped the key messages contained within the Report.  He gave an overview of the main considerations which were detailed in the report and referred to the key improvement priorities for 2015/16.

The Chief Officer referred to the draft Annual Report and the findings of the Annual Improvement Report from the Wales Audit Office which was received in March 2015.  He also commented on the Social Services and Wellbeing Act (2014) which was passed into statute last year and would be fully implemented by April 2016.  The Chief Officer drew attention to the Corporate priorities and the work done to fulfil them.  He also commented on the value of quality feedback from service users and highlighted examples of some of the things reported and the action taken to address the matters raised.   

The Chair invited Members to raise questions.

Councillor Dave Mackie welcomed the report.  He referred to the  concerns he had raised previously around the format and printing of the Report and was reassured by Officers that his suggestions had been taken on board.

Councillor Ian Dunbar expressed concerns around the length of the adoption process and cited an example of prospective parents who had become disillusioned as a result of delays in the adoption process.  In his response the Chief Officer advised that the Welsh Government insisted on a national approach around adoption and said there was a strong North Wales Association.  He acknowledged the points raised and reported that processes were improving as the Authority sort to strengthen the approach around adoption.  He referred to the need to adhere to court proceedings and commented that the actual timelines of responsibility for adoption in North Wales were as good as elsewhere.     

Councillor Dave Mackie suggested that the example cited by Councillor Dunbar highlighted the need to keep people fully informed of progress and the reasons for any delay in the process. 

In response to the further request from Councillor Dunbar for an update on the remodelling of dementia services, the Provider Services Manager advised that the Flintshire integrated Health and Social Care dementia action plan aimed to take forward seven key themes and reported on the work that had been taken place over the last year.  She explained that the outcomes of the action plan would make a difference to people living with dementia by removing the loneliness and stigma attached to it.

Councillor Andy Dunbobbin spoke in support of the Dementia training provided  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6