Agenda item

Dave Roddis, Performance and Quality Manager, presented Rotherham’s first local account for Adult Social Care which set out how services were performing in Rotherham, focussing mainly on 2010/11, but did provide up-to-date information where possible.

The local account described how the Service was meeting the needs of its customers and improving outcomes for the people of Rotherham.  This was evidenced through the reporting of key performance information, being open about the money spent on services, feeding back judgements received about how services were viewed externally and an analysis of local customer feedback and real customer case studies. The Local Account provided an opportunity to highlight the things done well and areas where there had been improvement

Key achievements included:-

·        6,800 people supported to live in the community and 2,300 carers supported – 1,400 more than the previous year

·        97% of customers were satisfied with the care and support services they received

·        31% reduction in complaints

·        2,300 carers received an assessment of their needs and provided with a carer service or information and advice – 300 more than the previous year and rated Rotherham in the best 25% of Councils in England

·        689 customers’ needs reviewed – 7,330 in total

·        98% of customers were satisfied they got the service promised – an increase from 96% in 2009/10

·        85% of customers in receipt of Intermediate Care Service following hospital discharge were still living at home when surveyed 3 months later – rated in best 25% of comparable Councils

·        Through raising awareness of adult abuse, alerts in Rotherham increased by 47%

·        CQC assessed the Council as “Best Performing” for how well it supported customers at the first point of contact

·        50% of customers received self-directed support which exceeded the national target of 30% - placed in the best 25% in the country

Rotherham’s Local Account has been shaped following a self assessment against the new Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework.  Based on this self-assessment the Council believed that the overall local account demonstrated it was continuing to deliver excellent services within the resources available.  The local account provided over 30 case studies demonstrating the impact of the services delivered and the outcomes they achieved for their customers. 

The full document, which had been developed in conjunction with customers and members, would be published as a ‘virtual glossy’ with a small number printed initially for key stakeholders.  It would also be available through the website and to customers on request.

Customers would have the opportunity to feedback directly to the Council via the web link as well as e-mail, letter and direct telephone access.  It was intended to produce monthly ‘one page’ updates, via the website, on progress on performance and on improvement actions.

With councils now responsible for their own improvement, there was a collective responsibility for the performance of the sector as a whole.  A Promoting Excellence in Councils Adult Social Care Programme Board had been established by key representatives from the sector, chaired by Richard Jones (ADASS) and had membership from Local Government Group, Care Quality Commission and the Department of Health. 

With the abolition of the Annual Performance Assessment, the publication of a single data set for local government and the development of outcomes frameworks for adult social care and separately for the NHS and Public Health, the Board believed that it was important that councils found a meaningful way of reporting back to citizens and consumers about performance. Although this would be subject to local discretion, the Board suggested that all councils with social care responsibilities consider producing a short, accessible local account during 2011/12 and preferably by December 2011.

Local accounts should be customer focused and be aimed at the whole community, be published on council websites by the Lead Member.  The core requirement for a local account was to report on the quality of adult social care in the area.   The Local Account built on work the Council was already doing on local quality assurance frameworks and safeguarding annual reports.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Local Account be approved for publication.

(2)  That a copy of the “snapshot” version be provided for all Elected Members