Issue - meetings

Report attached.

It was noted that, of the 12 performance indicators under the Sub-committee’s remit, 10 had a green rating and only 2 had a red rating. One of these concerned the rate of permanent admissions to homes for older people. This target had been missed but this was due to more people being able to remain in their own homes for longer but that now needed residential care. There were sufficient places available with approximately 40 care homes in Havering, offering around 1,600 beds. The average age an older person entered a care home was now 87 years old.

Performance on the proportion of adults with learning disabilities living in their own home or with family had been good. This had been assisted by the opening of six self-contained flats for adults with learning disabilities or autism at Great Charter Close and it was suggested that the Sub-Committee should visit this development. It was the Council’s responsibility to fund care of this kind although in this instance, 50% of the costs were paid by the NHS. Officers would provide a summary of high cost placements that the Council funded.

Performance on the numbers of people with mental health issues who were in paid employment had also been good.

The use of direct payments was closely monitored and officers were keen to increase take-up as direct payments allowed more choice and control by the person receiving care. Some service users chose to undertake the associated record keeping themselves or this could be done by a third party.

It was expected that take up of direct payments would increase in future years and targets for this had been established via bench marking with the Local Government Association. The Council wished to develop a personal assistant market to provide care services purchased with direct payments. Other ways to make direct payments more attractive to people included the introduction of a payment card to make the use of direct payments easier. This also allowed better monitoring of expenditure by the Council.

It was clarified that there were a total of 28 reablement flats in Royal Jubilee Court but occupancy of these had been very low as people preferred to return to their own homes. This was consistent with officers’ aim to have people in hospital for as short a time as possible. The discharge process at Queen’s Hospital had also now improved.

Officers would supply suggestions for performance indicators that could be monitored by the Sub-Committee but possible options included figures for the admission to residential care of older people and the take-up of direct payments.

The Sub-Committee noted the performance information.