Extra funding released for York’s adult social care services

Over £1.2 million of additional funding has tonight been made available to help relieve pressure on York’s adult social care services.

The Executive have agreed to maintain and release £800,000 recurring budget set aside by the Liberal Democrats in the 2018/19 budget, as well as a non-recurring sum of £457,000 in adult social care support.

To date, York has made huge improvements in reducing its delayed transfers of care, as a result of investment that has been already made. Furthermore, many services have been working closely with partners to support people in care and secure their independence to remain at home, avoiding needless admissions to hospital.

In the past year, a number of successful initiatives have made a positive impact on people’s lives  For example, the YorWellbeing falls prevention service, which has had a significant impact in reducing injuries and hospital admissions.  Tonight’s approval could see this service expanded.

Cllr Carol Runciman, Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Adult Social Care, said:

“There is no doubt; the Winter crisis has heaped an overwhelming amount of pressure on the York Teaching Hospital and our adult care services.”

“In response, the Liberal Democrats sought to make significant investment in our adult social care services via the Council’s 2018/19 budget and I am very pleased that the report discussed at Executive tonight demonstrates the positive impact of our investment in those services.”

“Tonight, we have reaffirmed our commitment to support and protect vulnerable residents, particularly in helping them live more independently.  This investment will allow us to extend our already successful schemes and allow us to continue in tackling system pressures within health and social care.”

Additional investment in adult social care in York

Councillors will be asked to release funds of £1.25m for adult social care when they meet on 8 May 2018.

At the meeting the Executive will hear about the approach adult social care is taking with partners to support people with care and support needs, maximising their independence and capacity to remain at home, avoid hospital admission and return home as soon as possible from hospital.

As well as hearing about progress on the work we are doing to increase independence, councillors will be asked to agree to maintain current additional activity and release £800,000 recurring budget set aside in the 2018/19 budget, as well as the non recurring £457,000 adult social care support grant budget to fund further support.

In the past year the council has implemented a number of successful initiatives which have made a significant and positive impact on people’s lives.

They include the YorWellbeing falls prevention service, which has had a positive impact in reducing injuries and hospital admission. The service offers free home safety visits to all residents in Clifton and Guildhall Wards who want practical help and advice to reduce the risk of falls in their home. The release of funds would see further investment in the service expand into other areas in the city  increased capacity to support more residents.

Another example is the council’s local area coordinators in Westfield, Tang Hall and Huntington and New Earswick. The team people access community support, delaying and or preventing the need for statutory services.  Further funding will see the scheme expanded.

As well as continue this work,  a review of these initiatives has informed the following recommendations including increasing the level of reablement provision, maintain seven days a week social work to ensure capacity is available at weekends and promote and maintain the capacity and sustainability of home care.  Investment is also suggested for step down beds to increase the number available.

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Pensioners concerns over Council sheltered housing plans

Lincoln Court

Occupants of Lincoln Court had their first chance on Thursday to comment on the Council’s plans to modernise their sheltered accommodation.

In the main, the upgrade plans – which include new kitchens, bathrooms, heating and wiring, new front doors and windows, a new door entry system, roof repairs and external & internal decoration – were welcomed.

However, concern was expressed over the time that residents would be expected to live on a “building site”. This arises out of the proposal to demolish the adjacent Windsor House building and replace it with a centre for the disabled.

Proposed new layout

Residents, most of whom are in their 70’s and 80’s, felt that they could be inconvenienced for as long as three years while the work took place.

It emerged at the meeting that most of the work on Lincoln Court would not be undertaken until the adjacent new building had been completed. This led residents to point out that the noise and dust generated by any demolition process would filter into their living areas because of the inadequacies of the existing doors and windows.

Prior to the meeting the Councils plans to address parking and traffic congestion problems on Ascot Way had been criticised and these issues were raised again by residents. Residents were particularly angry that they might be expected to pay for residents parking permits because of pressure on staff parking. A plan was also needed to address parking needs during the building and modernisation phases.

Residents are also concerned that the existing bus stop – located outside Windsor House – is not shown on the new plans.

One resident went further and said

Hedges blocked view and light from Lincoln Court flats last summer

“The new homes will take away our landing sitting areas, take away all light in the corridors and fill the few outside areas we have. The small, existing garden will not be freely available as we are to become, in effect, a community centre and can only access it via the community room (which is to be in use most of the time). We are also expected to cover all the running costs of the shared facilities as the fuel costs are shared by residents and no charges made to outside departments, clients etc. Even the electricity costs of all the offices and rest areas will be paid by us – we were told that it isn’t a problem at other developments & we can also use facilities! Not good enough”. 

Officials have apparently threatened to install security doors on each corridor prompting concerns that the building would resemble a “prison”.

Residents had complained last year about the Councils failure to cut a tall hedge at the rear of the properties. The hedge effectively blocked light from the flats, prompting a feeling of isolation.

The consultation event was dismissed by some as a “paper exercise” and there were calls for a fundamental rethink before planning permission was sought.

Local Councillors are now looking into the issues raised.

Carlton Tavern site still being promoted for elderly persons home use.

Interesting that the Council strategy for providing elderly persons care beds is still dependent on a 74 bed facility on the Carlton Tavern site.

The site was recently refused planning permission for an elderly persons care home by the Council’s own planning committee.

The revelation comes in a paper which considers how the  Morrell House home will be closed.

City of York care strategy report April 2018

Plan for disabled centre in Ascot Way faces £350,000 financial hurdle

A report being presented to a Council meeting next week says that the cost to taxpayers of developing a Centre of Excellence for Disabled Children and their families in Ascot Way will be more than expected.

An additional £350,000 will have to be borrowed to finance the £4.3 million project.

This is mainly the result of a lower than expected valuation of The Glen Short Breaks centre which is to be sold to help pay for the new development.

When originally suggested, the expectation was that the Glen site would be sold for £1,250,000. It is this figure that has reduced and produced the funding shortfall.

Annual repayments (principal plus interest) on the borrowing are expected to be around £195,000 a year.

The news comes a day before an open meeting to discuss the project is being held at Windsor House (see below)

York’s mental health strategy launched

York’s Health and Wellbeing Board has launched its new mental health strategy with a focus on every single resident enjoying the best possible emotional and mental health and wellbeing throughout the course of their life.

A newly formed mental health partnership will lead and co-ordinate the delivery of the strategy. The new partnership will be chaired by Tim Madgwick, who retired as Deputy Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police last year.

The strategy highlights that people with mental health conditions have a lower life expectancy and poorer physical health outcomes than those that do not.

The main focus of the strategy is to get better at spotting the early signs of mental ill health and to intervene earlier. It also looks at increasing individual and community resilience to reduce social isolation.

The other priorities are to:

  • focus on recovery and rehabilitation
  • improve services for mothers, children and young people
  • ensure that York becomes a suicide safer city
  • ensure that York is both a mental health and dementia friendly environment
  • improve services for those with learning disabilities.

The strategy expands on the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2018-2023, of which mental health is a key priority.
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Citizens Advice York:  Service extended for a further 12 months

Cllr Carol Runciman (Centre), Simon Topham of Citizens Advice York (right) and John Short, Chair of Citizens Advice York (left)

In an Executive Member Decision session held today, Cllr Carol Runciman, Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Financial Inclusion, has granted a 12-month extension to continue services run by Citizens Advice York.

Over recent months, a series of discussions have taken place between the York Liberal Democrats and Citizens Advice York to guarantee the long term sustainable future of the service.

In regular conversations with Citizens Advice York, it has been repeatedly highlighted that the service needed to recruit and train more volunteer advisors.   However, since the beginning of 2018, Citizens Advice York has reported that the training of volunteers is progressing well.  Once volunteers are trained, the service will be able to increase its capacity and once again, apply for further funding from the Financial Inclusion fund.

During the 12 month period, Citizens Advice York will conduct an internal review on the performance of their service.  The Liberal Democrats will be working closely with Citizens Advice York during this period to ensure sustainable and effective future service provision is in place.

Cllr Carol Runciman, Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Financial Inclusion, said:

“As the Executive Member with responsibility for financial inclusion, I am in regular contact with Citizens Advice York and together, we are both working to maintain service provision for the residents of York.”

“Money is not the only solution here and currently, Citizens Advice York is prioritising the training of volunteer advisors to improve the service.  At this moment in time, Citizens Advice York has been granted a 12 month service extension to the service; so that they can review the service after a year has passed.”

“Once more advisors are trained and Citizens Advice York are happy with their own performance, the York Liberal Democrats will support Citizens Advice to once again apply for the Financial Inclusion Fund and deliver a sustainable service for many years to come.”

Staffing crisis hits social work teams in York

The York Council is finding it difficult to recruit qualified staff for its Safeguarding Social Work teams. The budget for the service is nearly £150,000 overspent mainly because of having to employ agency staff.

Those affected work on Court/Child Protection issues. These teams intervene and work with very complex, high risk cases where child abuse has either been substantiated or there is the assessed likelihood that children may suffer significant harm and therefore require protection.

The Council is saying that “It is a highly pressured environment, with very tight and rigid court deadlines that have to be met as well as ongoing crises in relation to children subject to child protection plans which also require a timely response”.

There are currently 7 vacancies in the 16-person team.

As well as making “Golden Hello” payments of £2500 for new recruits, the Council also wants to introduce a “Golden Handcuff” annual payment to existing staff of a similar amount.

Hopefully the later will not fall foul of the Councils new modern slavery policies (right)

Adopting an ethical care charter in York

Councillors will be asked to adopt the ‘ethical care charter’ for home care workers across the city when they meet next week.

On Thursday 15 March, the council’s Executive will discuss the option to adopt the charter which seeks to establish a minimum baseline for the safety, quality and dignity of care.

The charter was developed and published by UNISON after they conducted a national survey of homecare workers in 2012 and has three stages. In July 2017 a motion was approved at full council asking officers to look at the implications and take a report to Executive.

At the meeting councillors will be asked to agree to adopt stages one and two of the charter which will include:

  • The time allocated to visits will match the needs of clients
  • Visits being scheduled so that homecare workers are not forced to rush their time with clients
  • Clients being allocated the same homecare workers wherever possible
  • Zero hours contracts not being used as the only option. Providers offering a range of contract options to staff to ensure flexible employment options for care workers.
  • Homecare workers being regularly trained and given the chance to regularly share best practice with co-workers and limit their isolation.

Councillors will also be asked to agree for further work to be undertaken to assess the financial implications of adopting stage three which is for all staff to be paid at Foundation living wage and providers adopting occupational sickness pay schemes, with a report to be taken back at a later date.

Councillor Carol Runciman, Executive Member for adult social care and health said: “We recognise the vital job that homecare workers across the city to support our residents. These changes look to help them and support the recruitment and retention of care staff.

“We’ve been working with providers closely on these plans. We know in York that our residents receive a standard of homecare that is well above the national average, these proposals look to promote high quality care services and further increase the standard of care in York.”