Agenda and minutes

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meetings held on 5^th and  21^st December, 2011.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the previous meetings held on 5^th and 21^st December, 2011, be approved as a correct record.

The Director of Health and Wellbeing presented a report outlining the approach that had been taken to ensure that customers received a safe and effective service on a 24/7 basis.  Following the successful development of an Out of Hours service using newly recruited staff on amended contracts and volunteers from within the existing staff team, it had been decided to extend to all Social Work staff.

Consultation had been thorough with the intention of encouraging as many staff as possible to accept the change to their work practice on a voluntary basis.  This had been successful with 88 staff accepting the change.  The remaining 17 would undergo the formal process of issuing notice on 30^th January, 2012 with potential dismissal and re-engagement taking effect on 30^th April, 2012.

It was noted that the report was to be considered by the Cabinet on 18^th January, 2012.

Discussion ensued on:-

-        The impact on staff of the proposed shift pattern

-        Discussions with Trade Unions

-        Service to customers

-        Negotiations with staff

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That the report be referred to the Cabinet for consideration.

The Director of Health and Wellbeing reported that in 2010 MIND had commissioned an independent inquiry into the provision of acute and crisis mental health care with emphasis being on the experience of those individuals who used the services and what really mattered to them.

Over the course of the Inquiry the Panel of commissioned experts established that nationally there were some excellent examples of crisis and acute care.  However, they had also found that some individuals were not receiving the care and support they needed when they needed it. 

A Manager’s Briefing had been produced by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the Council, in order to demonstrate a meaningful analysis of the report in the context of how acute and crisis care was delivered in Rotherham.

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006) (information likely to reveal the identify of an individual)

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006) (information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual).

(Exempt under Paragraph 2 of the Act – information likely to reveal the identity of an individual)

The Director of Health and Wellbeing submitted the annual Adult Social Care complaints report for 1^st April, 2010-31^st March, 2011 under the complaints and representations procedures established through the Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 (Making Experience Count).

The report set out the details and trends in complaints experienced by the Directorate and the improvements that had been made both in the NAS Complaints Service and the Directorate as a whole.

100% of all complaints were responded to within the statutory timescales with the number of complaints received having reduced from 169 to 113.  The number of complaints escalating from Stage 1 to Stage 2 of the Complaint Procedure had reduced from 26 in 2009/10 to 9 in 2010/11.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That the Performance Team be congratulated on the work that had taken place.