Decision details

Progress and feasibility report on the work of the task and finish group

Unison and representatives of home care workers were in attendance and were given an opportunity to address cabinet. They pledged their support to cabinet for its agreement and commitment to sign up to the charter.  Issues relating to payment for attendance to training, travel time and future involvement in the commissioning process were raised.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the principles of the charter be noted and agreement be given to sign up to the charter, and the council’s intention to work towards its implementation be continued.

2.  That it be noted that affordability and sustainability is and will remain a key consideration when working through the approach to making progress on the charter and the strategic director of finance and corporate services be requested to do financial modelling and set aside a provisional sum in the budget.

3.  That it be agreed that a commissioning based approach (as opposed to varying existing contract or bringing home care services in house) is likely to be the most affordable way to implement the charter and will have greatest impact on the quality of provision as set out in paragraphs 40-47 of the report.

4.  That the vision and values for home care service that have been developed through the stakeholder group and reviewed by the ‘task and finish’ group be noted and agreed.

5.  That the strategic director of children’s and adults’ services develop a new commissioning strategy to deliver the vision and values for home care in a way that is consistent with the charter principles.  The strategy would need to ensure that additional investment in home care services achieves measurable improvements in quality, user experience and outcomes.

6.  That the interim steps to improve the delivery of home care services including providers better co-ordinating visits to minimise travel time be noted and agreed and that a workforce development group be established to devise a training and development programme that will support up-skilling home care workers as set out in paragraph 38 of the report.

7.  That it be noted that there will be a report back to cabinet in June 2014 with a proposed approach for the re-commissioning of home care services in line with the ethical homecare charter.