BOROUGH OF POOLE

SUPPORTING PEOPLE COMMISSIONING BODY

WEDNESDAY 5 OCTOBER 2005, COMMITTEE SUITE, CIVIC CENTRE

MINUTES

Present:

Jan Thurgood, Chair / Policy Director, Borough of Poole
Tim Denne / Provider, Carr-Gomm, Chair of the Provider’s Forum
Simon Hendey / Service Unit Head, Housing & Community Services
Ewa Johnson / Senior Review Officer, Supporting People
Ann Maguire / Drug Action Team
Simon Matthews / Provider, Stepping Homes; Rep of Provider’s Forum
Nick Molland / Principal Officer, Adult Social Services Commissioning
Peter Moore / Principal Officer, Adult Social Services Provider
Clive Newman / Finance & Development Officer, Supporting People
Kris Rowlands / Provider - Support Acadamy, Rep of Provider Forum
Hayley Seymour /
Supporting People Manager
Neil Smurthwaite / Principal Officer, Adult Social Services Commissioning
Nick Wharam / Commissioning Manager, Children and Young People
Zoe McNeil, Minutes / Supporting People Admin Assistant

Apologies received from:

Richard Benson / Director of Planning & Service Improvement, Poole PCT
Andy Hutchinson / Operations Manager, Probation
John Dermody / Head Adult Social Services Commissioning
Brett Jones / Benefits Administration Manager, Revenues & Benefits
Joanne Labrow / Development Manager, MH & Substance Misuse
Fran Phillips / Provider – PAS Ltd
Polly Randall / Langdon House, Langley House Trust
Charlie Sheldrick / Head Adult Social Services Provider
Nigel Stannard / Management Accountant Social Care, Borough of Poole
Peter Stratford / Corporate Research Manager, Borough of Poole

Copies to:

Councillors / Elaine Atkinson, Chris Bulteel, Judy Butt, Mary Hillman, Jane James, Mike White

1.Introductions

These were made.

Apologies for Absence

These were given.

2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting

These were confirmed as a true record of the meeting.

Matters Arising

Page 3. Memorandum of Understanding / Terms of Reference

Re the Action item: Hayley Seymour has a meeting arranged with Chris Beale of Poole Council for Voluntary Service to discuss voluntary sector representation on/involvement with on the Commissioning Body.

Page 8. Redistribution Formula

Jan Thurgood advised that she understands discussions are taking place in Government around the formula and that a further announcement is likely to be made in Nov/Dec. Additionally, the ODPM has not yet confirmed that under-expenditure on the programme can be carried forward to next financial year.

STRATEGY AND DECISION ITEMS

3.Administration Grant

Neil Smurthwaite summarised the paper – the under-spend in 03/04 has provided funding to employ additional temporary contract staff in 04/05, ensuring all services have been reviewed to a similar standard. However, staffing will have to change in ’06 with the Commissioning Body agreeing any reduction. Neil Smurthwaite asked for any comments regarding this reduction by the end of October.

Jan Thurgood said that with the end of the ODPM’s three year requirement to review all services, it was important to consider the appropriate level of review and support of providers delivering to steady state contracts. In these considerations, the views of providers as to what is of particular benefit to themselves would be important. She commented that there has to date been significant focus on the reviewing of current services and this has led effectively to improved relevance, quality and efficiency of services. Looking forward, there will need to be more emphasis on needs analysis; commissioning new services and re-letting of contracts as well as other actions in the Business Plan.

Tim Denne shared with the meeting the format used by Wiltshire: Review Officers sit in Contracting (within the County Authority) and also cover the QAF; needs assessment, strategy and planning along with joint commissioning sit separatelyunder the Supporting People Manager. Commissioning a new service, following a strategic decision, is then passed to Contracts to progress.

Other suggestions from the meeting included:

-the option of working more closelywith neighbouring authorities

-self-assessment by providers

-Supporting People performing an audit and trouble shooting function

-a shift in focus in the reviewing process

-the potential to gather more information from people such as Care Managers, Probation, etc who work with service users, thereby taking a more holistic approach.

AGREED: Neil Smurthwaite to produce a proposal for the December meeting.

4.Procedure for Issuing Steady State Contracts

Hayley Seymour explained that providers had all been given an interim contract at the inception of the Supporting People programme. Following review, those to be re-contracted with will be issued with a Steady State Contract (an ODPM term).

Clive Newman advised all 47 contracts will be awarded, following Commissioning Body agreement, by April 2006. He explained that the main body of the contract had been agreed with Legal Services in the Borough of Pooleand with the Provider Forum and consequent amendments made. The differences between contracts being:

-either 1 or 2 years duration

-either gross or subsidy

-a roll-over clause

-‘current client only’ restriction

In addition, the Service Specification will vary by contract:

-Accommodationbased or not

-if accommodation, the schedules relate to actual properties

-discussion about strategic relevance and value for money

The process to be followed: Clive Newman to complete the Contract and Service Specification, then discuss with the Review Officers; the Supporting People Manager to authorise; discussion with the Provider, and then to a closed session of the Commissioning Body to approve. Once agreement given, the Contract will be sent to the Provider with a date given for the return of signed version.

Jan Thurgood asked that the Supporting People team work with the relevant commissioners for particular need groups ( eg children and young people; people with mental health problems )on the Contract and Service Specifications where this is appropriate.

AGREED: The timetable of contract commencement dates.

ACTION: Zoe McNeil to arrange 2 additional closed session meetings of the Commissioning Body, before the end of December, to agree December and January contracts.

5.5 Year Strategy Milestones Monitoring Report

Neil Smurthwaite gave an update on the 5 Year Strategy Milestones.

Consulting People: a draft plan is being brought to the next Commissioning Body, to be circulated in advance, about service user involvement. From the work undertaken to date the strong message is that there are a number of service users who would like to become involved in the review process. [Note, service users are also interviewed at the review stage and asked if they would like to be involved.] Also apparent is that a good number do notknow about Supporting People and its role. To respond to this, 2 leaflets have been produced to be distributed to libraries, GPs, the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and all relevant stakeholders, along with circulation to the Commissioning Body and the Borough of Poole.

ACTION: A draft document to be produced for the next Commissioning Body, to be circulated beforehand.

Black and Minority Ethnic People:

Social Services now have a network of black and minority ethnic contacts within Poole. Discussions are taking place around holding an event in February /March, at a suitable venue, to give information onSocial Services and to include other relevant parties (Revenue & Benefits/Supporting People/Housing, etc).

Joint Planning

There is a joint review underway of Housing and Housing Support & Care Services for older people, led by the Primary Care Trust/ Housing and Social Services. An external consultant, John Rynne, has been appointed as project officer for this review. This involves the mapping of needs of older people across Poole to develop comprehensive and long-term plans. The big message being received is that older people wish to remain in their own homes or only have one move.

ACTION: Neil Smurthwaite to ensure John Rynne meets with the Provider Forum.

There is also a joint review of HIV and Aids services, led by the Bournemouth Primary Care Trust. This is a Dorset-wide sexual health review. Neil Smurthwaite has the initial conclusions and is awaiting the final version. However, it appears the review has not particularly engaged with Social Services and does not highlight the need to work within the Supporting People programme.

ACTION: Neil Smurthwaite to follow up.

In additional, there is a jointly commissioned Home from Hospital & Rapid Response service being re-commissioned, led by Social Services and involving the Poole Primary Care Trust and Supporting People. Tenders have been received with applicants being interviewed shortly.

Nick Wharam advised that the Children & Young People Plan re housing related support is being formulated at present, with an April deadline. It will be a high level document with the commissioning strategy included in it. Links with Housing are still to be fully explored.

6.Review Report

The reviews and update visits are on target for completion by end March ’06. The recent service user questionnaire responses will help inform the order of services to be reviewed in 06/07and will be feed into the older peoples’ work being undertaken by John Rynne.

The following training is being offered to providers:

-Protection from Abuse

-Diversity

-Training about the Supporting People programme for new support staff (well attended & excellent feedback received)

With regards to young people services, Nick Wharam is looking at the needs of each client group with lead commissioners and Hayley Seymour. An up-date will be provided to the Commissioning Body in December.

7.Accountable Officer Report

Neil Smurthwaite presented his report.

Audit Commission Inspection Update

The final report will be available on the website on 13 October. Jan Thurgood however, informed the meeting on the overall message received from the Audit Commission. The review process, the Supporting People Team and the quality of services came out very positively. Jan thanked the providers and all connected with the review process. However, there is a requirement to strengthen the needs analysis regarding both how services are commissioned and what is commissioned.

Jan Thurgood will attend the Provider Forum on 30 November to share the findings of the report.

ACTION: Jan Thurgood to attend the Provider Forum meeting and the Inspection Report and the Action Plan to address its recommendations wil be discussed in full at the Commissioning Body meeting in December.

Poole Supporting People Programme Grant

Thanks was given to those who sent in bids. Those that didn’t meet the grant criteria have already been notified. The strategic relevance of a number of others is being checked with the lead officers in the relevant areas. Once clarification of the carry forward sum has been received from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, bidders will be informed of the outcome of their particular bid.

At this point Jan Thurgood explained that the Borough of Poole, along with partners, are in discussion regarding a Local Area Agreement. This is a process whereby Central Government negotiates with local authorities and partners to identify key areas for improvement in relation to the local community of Poole. The Agreement is negotiated in four blocks:

-children and young people

-healthier communities and older people

-a vibrant economy

-safer and stronger communities

This is a 3 year programme with outcomes, actions and targets to be drawn up. There will be pump priming monies available in April 2007 and a reward grant in relation to targets met. The Supporting People Programme will be relevant to a series of the outcomes that are currently being considered. The Local Area Agreement offers the opportunity to negotiate freedoms and flexibilities with central government with the support of GOSW. Jan Thurgood is intending to explore if we can negotiate the freedom to carry-forward of £1.25 million in the Supporting People Programme over the three financial years of the LAA in order to deliver some of the key outcomes of the LAA. If this is obtained, it would enable the Programme to commission substantial new services over a viable period of time.

Business Plan Update

Work on the Learning Disability financial plan is well underway.

8.Quarterly Financial Update Report

Clive Newman informed us that there has been little movement since the previous report. However, by the next meeting there should be some financial reductions following the potential capping of night staff hours and reductions for 2 providers.

ACommissioning Body Forward Plan

Noted.

9.Any Other Business

Meetings need to be arranged for next year.

Action: Zoe McNeil to arrange Commissioning Body meetings for 2006 on a 3 monthly basis.

10.Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting is Wednesday 7 December in the Council Chamber, Civic Centre at 2 pm.

1