Agendas, Meetings and Minutes - Agenda item

Agenda item

Future Provision of Overnight Unit-Based Short Breaks for Children with Disabilities

Minutes:

Attending for this item were:

 

Catherine Driscoll, Director of Children, Families and Communities, WCC

Sue Harris, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

Debbie Herbert, Lead Commissioner, WCC

Sally-Anne Osbourne, Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

Andy Roberts, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Children and Families, WCC

 

Colleagues had been invited to update the Panel in relation to the future provision of overnight unit-based short breaks for children with disabilities ahead of the discussion at Cabinet on 26 September.

 

The Chairman of the Panel referred to local press coverage which had suggested that the County Council was closing the Ludlow Road Unit.  She pointed out that the County Council did not own the site and so could not be blamed for its closure.  Ofsted’s requirement that all children should be accommodated in single rooms had meant that the Unit was no longer financially viable.

 

By way of introduction, the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Children and Families reminded the Panel that, at the start of the review process he had met service users and their families, and had made two guarantees:

 

1.     The aim was to provide a sustainable future for the service.

2.     He would not react to party politics.

 

The proposals for the future model of provision included additional investment and improved facilities.

 

The Lead Commissioner outlined the proposals and made the following main points:

 

·       In June 2019 Cabinet agreed to consult on the proposals and would be considering the results of the consultation on 26 September.  The Council’s duty to provide short breaks for children with disabilities remained.

·       The proposals would see substantial investment in Osbourne Court, Malvern to ensure there was sufficient provision.  The proposals also extended provision for adult service users.

·       The consultation included an online survey and drop-in sessions.  Every family with a child attending Ludlow Road had been contacted personally.

·       Members were reminded that the overnight units were not locality based.  Instead, each unit served the whole of the County.  The proposals meant that 14 of the families currently using Ludlow Road would have a shorter journey whereas two would be further away.  Transport support had been discussed with these families.

·       In terms of transitions, Officers would work to develop clear plans to meet the needs of the children and families.  It was acknowledged that in the short-term change would have an impact, but this was justifiable given the improved facilities.

·       It was confirmed that staff at the Providence Road unit would be trained to meet health needs.

·       Members were informed that there had been a change in the eligibility criteria for provision at Acorns Hospice, but this change had been absorbed.

 

The Chairman of the Panel informed Members that she had attended one of the drop-in meetings that had been held as part of the consultation.  She had spoken to parents and carers and, although there was still a degree of anxiety, there was also much more confidence about the proposed changes.  Those whose children would continue to receive respite care as adults welcomed the changes, as adult services would also be provided at Osborne Court.

 

The Chairman of the Panel was grateful to the County Council and the Health and Care Trust for the sensitivity with which they had treated the families of service users.  After the initial fear and panic following the original announcement of the changes, more attention had been given to the feelings of the families.  She was now confident that the proposals represented a great improvement in provision.

 

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and the following main points were raised:

 

·       The Health and Care Trust confirmed that staff from Ludlow Road would be given the opportunity to transfer to other units if they wished to do so.  The Trust had also given the commitment that, if staff did not wish to move to another unit, they would be retained within the Trust and would be supported to take on different roles, including accessing training if necessary.

·       In response to a question about alternative respite provision, Members were informed that family-based overnight respite provision was in the process of being re-commissioned.

·       The Director of Children, Families and Communities reminded Members that Worcestershire had generous bed-based overnight respite when compared to other Councils.  However, some families preferred to have support in their own homes and there had been an increase in take up of this type of provision.  The aim was to provide a real choice for families.

·       A Member asked about whether the potential closure of the Acorns Hospice in Walsall would have an impact on provision in Worcestershire.  Members were reminded that Acorns provision was for children with life-limiting conditions.  The Director was confident that any change in the situation with Acorns would not have an impact in Worcestershire.  Each child’s situation would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

·       The Chairman of the Panel welcomed the fact that the families of service users had been involved in planning the décor for the newly refurbished provision at Osbourne Court.  She also welcomed the increased investment to help some of the County’s most vulnerable children.

  • It would be important to make sure that any communications on the new model of delivery (both with families and the wider community) made it clear that the changes did not represent a loss of provision.

 

In conclusion, the Panel supported the recommendations in the Cabinet report and agreed that it would wish to receive a further report on the service after the new model of delivery had been running for six months, to include levels of parental satisfaction.

 

The Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Children and Families confirmed that, although the process had stuttered for a while at the start, he was pleased with the outcome.  Partnership working had improved and this could now be seen as a model of how to work together with partners.

 

The Health and Care Trust confirmed this view from an NHS perspective.  It had been a very difficult process for the families and staff, but could now be seen as a good example of partnership working.  Involving the families and carers in an open and honest way should be a blueprint for future work.

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