Transforming Lives / Steering Group Minutes /

Steering Group on

TRANSFORMING LIVES

THE PROGRAMME TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE VALUE FOR MONEY AND POLICY REVIEW

15thmeeting, 16 November 2016, 10.30am

Department of Health, Hawkins House

In Attendance
Frances Spillane, DoH Chair / Joanne McCarthy, DFI
Grainne Duffy, DOH / Christy Lynch, KARE
Ann McGrane, DoH / Clodagh O’Brien, NFPBA
Marion Meany, HSE / AideenHartney, NDA
Deirdre Scully HSE / Mary Kealy
Deirdre Carroll / Brian O’Donnell, NFVB
John Scannell, Doh, Secretary
In Attendance for Agenda Items 1 & 2
Minister of State Finian McGrath TD / Gerry Maguire, Special Adviser to the Minister
Apologies
Pat Healy / Katherine O’Leary

Documents circulated (prior to meeting)

  • Agenda
  • Minutes of the SG meetings of 15th June and 21st September
  • Transforming Lives Programme Lead Q3 Update Report & Traffic Light Report
  • SlidePresentations by WG 2 ( Sub Group on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People) and WG6 (Governance) to the Steering Group.
  • Working Group 3 Consultation Draft: Plan for Effective Participation in Decision Making Ordinary Lives in Ordinary Places

Agenda item 1 - Presentation of Steering Group Report on Implementation to Minister McGrath

Slide Presentation on the Transforming Lives Programme from a Policy Overview Perspective.

Slide presentation given by Ms. Duffy to the Minister and the Steering Group on the background to the Value for Money and Policy Review.

Slide Presentation on the Transforming Lives Programme from an Implementation Perspective.

Slide presentation given by Ms. Meany to the Minister and the Steering Group on the implementation of the Transforming Lives programme via the various Working Groups and the progress made thus far. During the presentation it was confirmed that four of the Working Groups will have concluded their remit by the end of 2016 or by the first quarter of 2017.

Minister McGrath thanked those involved for their presentations and stated the following:

  • He is a strong supporter and advocate of Transforming Lives, and would like to express his thanks to the members of the Working Groups for their efforts to date;
  • Creative and radical solutions are needed, and examples of good practice should be rewarded.
  • He feels strongly about the importance of consulting with those a disability (and in particular those with intellectual disability) as to the services they would like in the future.
  • In his opinion a change of mind-set on the part of families is also needed - the overriding priority must be what the person with a disability wants from their lives.

In response, the following observations were made by members of the Steering Group

  • The key to changing family expectations is through early education and through schools, and it is incumbent on the Department of Education to be more proactive in this regard and to support children and young people at key transition points in their lives.
  • In regard to the provision of personalised budgets to individuals, it has to be acknowledged that there will be a huge task of “unbundling” day service funding particularly in relation to the larger providers.
  • Day services and supports are a concern for families, but the solution is not just about the HSE, but also about access to further education, training and employment. Echoing this theme, it was also felt that there is a need to invest in community infrastructure and to create communities which are fit for everyone in society.
  • Other causes of concern include the lack of capital investment in Disability Services since 2008, and the need for early implementation of the Assisted Decision Making Act.

The Minister acknowledged the concerns of the Group and thanked them for their commitment, emphasising the importance of the work to be undertaken which he hoped would help in changing the way supports and services are provided to people with disabilities and would allow them to live the life they choose.

The Chair, on behalf of the Steering Group, thanked the Minister for his remarks, and presented him with a copy of the Transforming Lives Report on Implementation 2015. The Ministerand Mr. Maguire then withdrew from the meeting.

Agenda item 2 to 4– Minutes of previous meetings progress update, communications

The minutes of the previous 2 meetings (15 June and 21 Sept) were agreed, and apologies were given that the minutes had only recently been circulated. This was due to pressure of work in other areas.

The SG were informed that the Health/Education cross-sectoral group has been reactivated and contains representation from both Departments, the HSE, DCYA, NEPS and NCSE. Cross-sectoral liaison on a range of other issues, including the National Disability Strategy, implementation of Assisted Decision Making Act, housing and employment activation was also mentioned.

The importance of cross-sectoral engagement in implementing all aspects of Transforming Lives and supporting people to live full lives was recognised and it was agreed that the monitoring of cross-sectoral issues would be kept under review by the Steering Group in 2017.

Agenda item 5 – Next Steps and Date(s) of Next Meetings

  • It was agreed that the signing-off of WG documentation would be put on the agenda for the next meeting.

Date of Next Meeting: / Wednesday 25th January 2017 at 10.30am / Hawkins House

Suggested dates for future meetings in 2017 will be discussed at the next meeting.

Agenda item 6– Presentations by WG4 (Quality & Standards) and WG2 Sub Group on New Directions

WG4 was represented by Teresa Mallon and Bernard O’Regan

Main points of presentation of WG4( Quality and Standards )

  • WG4 have been consulting with the NDA which has been engaged in in-depth work on outcomes for disability services, drawing on international practice and research as well as building on what is already happening in Ireland. The NDA has advised that the suite of outcome goals have been signed off.
  • The consultation process with service users has been invaluable as it provided vital feedback as to the quality of services currently available.
  • It is not sufficient to simply measure / evaluate the quality of the services available, it is necessary to see how the service benefits the individual using it.
  • The research project looking at designing a Quality Framework for Disability Services and associated self audit tool will be completed by the end of the year.
  • The Children’s Outcomes Framework is currently being piloted.

WG2 Sub Group ( New Directions ) was represented by Anne Melly and Martina Quealy.

Main points of presentation of WG2 Sub Group ( New Directions ):

  • New Directions must meet the challenge of a disability service reconfiguring from one primarily set in a segregated setting to one, in the future, which will be part of a community integrated programme.
  • The wide range of areas where WG2 have made progress to date was outlined in a slide presentation, key targets for 2017 were outlined, and challenges identified.
  • The New Directions Group produce regular bulletins for families to keep them informed of progress.

A general discussion followed concerning mainstreaming and in particular the contingencies in place for those who have tried mainstreaming but now wish to enter a day service. Currently there is a waiting list of approximately 450 people in this category who now wish to have a HSE-funded day service.

The transition from school to further education, training and employment is crucial – the Chair informed the Steering Group that she is a member of an Assistant Secretary Group which is co-operating to implement Action 5.1 in the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities, which addresses support for the transitions and interactions between school, training, employment activation and HSE-funded services.