SOCIAL SERVICES, HOUSING AND BENEFITS SELECT
COMMITTEE – 18 SEPTEMBER 2003
THE SOCIAL SERVICES INSPECTORATE AND
PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT FOR SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE PERIOD 2002/03
REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSING
REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
In August 2003 the Social Services Inspectorate held an Annual Review
Meeting with senior officers from the Directorate, the Council, the PCT and the
Portfolio Holder. Also in attendance were officers from the Audit Commission
and the Strategic Health Authority. This exercise contributes to the assessment
of performance against social services functions in 2002/2003. The Select
Committee has scrutiny powers over this area and therefore Members would wish
to have early knowledge about the performance assessment, the results of which
will be announced in November 2003.
ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE
To make recommendations.
BACKGROUND
A national system for the performance assessment of social services in
England and Wales began in 1999. In each subsequent year this process has
experienced revision and enhancement. For the year 2001/2002 the Directorates
social services functions were rated as 2 stars – out of a possible 4 ie. 0,1,2
and 3. This was a good result and contributed positively to the overall rating
of the Council following the CPA assessment.
The Social Services Inspectorate (SSI) utilises a number of different
approaches before coming to a judgement about the performance of individual
social service authorities. These are detailed in Appendix
A. These elements are the results
against national performance indicators, any Inspections of an area of activity
and, uniquely for this year the Climbie self-assesssment. Because there have been no inspections by
the SSI from late 2002 to date, progress against past Inspections (notably that
on older people) has been used to help inform a judgement.
The national timetable is now part of an increasingly familiar
performance assessment cycle and is as follows:
Sequence and timetable: December 2002 – March 2004
·
Following the
publication of the refreshed PSS ratings and CPA in November 2002, SSI
engages with social services managers during December 02-March 03 to
agree priorities and strategies for improvement, linked to the corporate
agreement on the inspection and audit plan for each council;
·
Earlier
production (guidance version in March 03) of the Spring Position
statement (renamed as the Delivery and Improvement Statement and
produced as now in “position statement” template form by SSI. This is completed by the council to set out
local improvements for 2003/04, and evaluated during June –July;
·
In the period June
– August 03, SSI carried out a review of performance in 2002-03, working
with key partners. Drawing on
inspection results and the council’s Delivery and Improvement Statement and
form provision statistical returns to DH, SSI meets formally with the council’s
managers and other senior figures at a review meeting to confirm an
understanding of past performance and to discuss the council’s stated
improvements;
·
A report is set
to the council (by the end of August 03) with a profile of the previous
year’s performance and highlighting the improvement priorities for the
remainder of the current year. SSI
forms provisional judgements for the overall assessment ranges;
·
Provisional
judgements are reached, and star ratings internally validated, taking account
of new evidence (and meeting with councils to follow up as necessary). This includes the PAF PI data for 2002/03 as
validated by DH statisticians. Finally,
ratings are determined by the Chief Inspector in October, prior to
publication and feeding into the CPA;
·
Following
publication of CPA and PSS overall assessment ratings, improvement-planning
discussions continue in the new round and feed councils’ internal processes.
The Annual Review Meeting previously mentioned has been held and the
letter attached as Appendix
B, from Lynda Hoare the Regional Director of the SSI refers. It profiles
the previous years performance and highlights areas requiring improvement.
RESULTS AGAINST NATIONAL PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS
Early results against the 51 indicators are
provided in Appendix C. The “blob”
system has been in use since the inception of national performance tables and
represent a ‘5 point scale’ of measurement, 1 represents a poor result and a
need to “investigate urgently” whereas 5 represents a “very good” result.
Whilst there may be a few minor changes early analysis suggests the following
in summary version.
Overall Number Of ‘Blobs’ For Each Catagory |
||
Blob Catagory |
2001-02 |
2002-03 |
|
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
2 |
13 |
12 |
|
3 |
8 |
9 |
|
4 |
23 |
14 |
|
5 |
11 |
14 |
Total= |
55 |
51 |
Within the total of blobs a number are given special status as Key
Indicators that is they have more weight in the overall assessment of
performance. The results for these
between 2001/02 and 2002/03 are as follows:
RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
This report provides early insight into the
national performance assessment as it applies to the social services activities
of the Directorate. Service Plans which include prioritised budget bids have
been produced within the Directorate as part of the Councils overall planning
process. These reflect the need to improve upon weaker areas as indicated in
the letter from Lynda Hoare (Appendix B) and, by the Performance Indicator
results (Appendix C).
CONSULTATION PROCESS
These results have been discussed through the ARM meeting and with the
senior management team of the Directorate and the Portfolio Holder.
FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS
There are no crime or legal implications. However, star ratings have a
direct effect upon finances and additional freedoms in respect of expenditure
of Grant funds.
APPENDICES ATTACHED
Appendix A – Performance
Assessment Procecedure
Appendix B - Letter from Lynda
Hoare, SSI (awaited)
Appendix C – Indicators Data and Banding for 2002/03 (confidential)
BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT
Social Service Performance Assessment Framework Indicators 2001-2002. DoH. November 2002.
Modern Social Services – a commitment to the future. DoH. August 2003.
SSI Performance Assessment 2003. Operating Policies. DoH. July 2003.
Contact Point : Glen Garrod ( 01983-520600 ext 2225 email: [email protected]