Issue - meetings

To receive a verbal update from the Chief Officer (Social Services)

That the update be noted.

The Chief Officer (Social Services) provided a verbal update on the view of residential care home provision in Flintshire.  He referred to the significant challenges facing the sector nationally, regionally and locally, around recruitment and retention of qualified and experienced staff,  complexity of need and palliative/end of life care, support to avoid hospital admissions and accelerate hospital discharges, rising care home costs, supporting people to be independent and remain in home and community settings, and alternative models to current market provision.

                        The Chief Officer advised that the review would centre on the following three critical areas of challenge; demand and supply, quality and cost.  The aim of the review was to develop a fuller understanding of the issues facing residential care provision and predicted future need.   The Chief Officer said that a detailed  report would be presented in due course to enable a fuller review of the long-term options to be undertaken to protect and develop care market provision for the future.

                        The Chair commented on  the need to challenge the Welsh Government on the level of funding provided for social services in comparison to the funding made available to the Health Service. 

                        Councillor David Wisinger asked if North Wales would be receiving any of the new fleet of ambulances.  Following a suggestion from the Chair it was agreed that the Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator would make enquiries with the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust on behalf of the Committee.

                        Councillor Hilary McGuill asked if representatives from the private sector would be invited to sit on the review panel.  The Chief Officer advised that the review panel would consist of a small core group and a wider consultation process would be undertaken to include the independent sector and Health. 

                        Councillor Andy Dunbobbin said he would like to invite representation from the independent sector to a future meeting of the Committee.  In response to the concerns raised by Councillor Dunbobbin around the prior notification of inspections of care homes, the Chief Officer advised that unannounced inspections were undertaken.  The Senior Manager , Commissioning, Performance and Resources also advised that visits were undertaken on contract monitoring.  

During discussion Members expressed concerns around the closure of some local hospitals in Flintshire and commented on the future demands and expectations of an increasing older population.

Councillor Cindy Hinds referred to the closure of the community  hospitals in Penyffordd/Dobshill and expressed concerns that additional beds were not being provided at Wrexham Maelor Hospital as agreed.  The Chair suggested that the Education and Youth Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator make enquiries on the Committee’s behalf with the Health Board.

In response to the Committee’s request that Members wished to visit private sector residential care homes as well as nursing homes, the Chief Officer said this would be taken forward through the Care Forum.  

            RESOLVED:

That the update be noted.