Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report presented by Steve Lightfoot which outlined the 2009/10 Quarter 3 Key Performance Indicator results for the Adult Social Care elements of the Directorate.

At the end of Quarter 3, 75% of our Key Performance Indicators remained on target.  There was no change compared with the last quarter.

The following performance measures did not achieve their quarter 3 targets:

NAS 1 (PAFD40) Percentage of clients receiving a review

Performance levels had improved since September and the indicator was currently rated as ‘on target’.  A recovery plan had been put in place integrating actions agreed at DMT/SMT in November and outstanding actions from previous clinics.  As at Quarter 2 we had reviewed 2420 clients, and as a result of the recovery plan this had increased to 3748 by Quarter 3, and to 6314 by 24^th March 2010.  This represented 79.02% of our service user population which was 2.02% above year end target and was our best ever performance score for review, and placed us above the national average.  At current rates of improvement it was anticipated that we would be in the upper quartile by year end.

A meeting had taken place with RDaSH Directors and a plan to deliver improvements in Quarter 4 had been agreed.  A member of the Performance team had been working closely with their managers and information department to implement the actions and, as at 24^th March, RDaSH were performing at 89.86%.

NI 136 (Vital Signs 3) People supported to live independently through social services (LAA)

This indicator included a combination of people that were receiving care managed services following a community care assessment and those people that were receiving services from the voluntary sector. 

At the end of Quarter 3 we were helping 5,737 service users to live at home, which was an improvement of 165 since the 2^nd quarter. This score included this year’s voluntary sector figures plus people currently in receipt of an assessed care package.  The voluntary sector had helped an additional 114 clients to live in the community this year.  We had however lost 209 clients this year due to the closure of Meals on Wheels, Laundry and Bathing services and had also seen a reduction in Mental Health services due to data quality work undertaken by RDaSH.  The combined effect on performance had seen a decrease during Quarter 4 and, as at 24^th March, we were helping 5,626 service users. 

To achieve this year’s target we would need to help approximately 1,800 extra service users by the end of the year.  The way this indicator was measured excluded a lot of our prevention activity.  These were national issues which were being debated pending development of the new National Indicator Set which would be implemented during 2011/12.

NI 132 Timeliness of social care assessments

Performance had improved since the 2^nd quarter of the year.  Based upon the actions we had put in place following a corporate performance clinic held on 27^th November, we predicted that we would achieve our year end target.  As at 24^th March 77.03% of new clients had had their assessment completed within 28 days of contacting us and actions in place to achieve 80% by year end.  This placed us in the next quartile banding when compared to last year’s outturn.

There had been a significant amount of management action undertaken on this performance indicator. We had restructured our Intake Teams to provide a more streamlined process for customers.  We had been targeting resources to reduce the backlog of new assessments which was created last year following a knock on effect of prioritising a series of high profile safeguarding investigations.  Weekly performance clinics had been put in place to recover our performance levels. Additionally RDaSH, who were one of the poor performing elements of the services, had put an action plan in place and performance had improved since last quarter.

NI 133 (Vital Signs 13) Acceptable waiting times for care packages

Performance had deteriorated since the 2nd quarter of the year with the amount of care packages being arranged within 28 days decreasing from 86.59% to 85.48%.  This had improved during Quarter 4 and, as at 24^th March, was at 89.77% with a target of 92%.  This represented 1,201 care packages out of a total of 1,337 that had been put in place during the year.

Achieving target would place us above the national average, move us up one quartile when compared to last year’s outturn and would place us into the top quartile of our comparator group.

Performance clinics had been held in order to understand the reasons for delays which had identified areas for improvement.  We are now confident that the year end target would be achieved.

A question and answer session ensued and the following issues were discussed:-

• The Cabinet Member felt that Management and staff should be congratulated for their efforts in achieving these improvements and asked that this be passed on to staff.
• What mentoring, if any was available within the workplace for staff?  It was confirmed that 16 out of the 67 social workers were newly qualified.  Funding had been secured to assist with training for these staff.  Line Managers had spent a lot of time mentoring them and monitoring their progress and as a result they were now working to a high standard.
• Reference was made to the under achieving performance figures for RDaSH and concern was raised as to how this might impact on Rotherham’s figures.  Confirmation was given that although this was a joint partnership figures for each area was reported separately.

Resolved:- That the results and the remedial action s in place to improve performance be noted.