PAPER C
12/04
Purpose : for
Decision
DECISION UNDER DELEGATED POWERS
Date: DECISION CANNOT BE TAKEN BEFORE 8 MARCH 2004
Title : CHARGES FOR MEALS ON WHEELS, HOME CARE AND DAY
CARE SERVICES
REPORT
TO THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND HOUSING FOR DECISION UNDER
DELEGATED POWERS
IMPLEMENTATION
DATE : BETWEEN 1st APRIL & 1ST JULY 2004
SUMMARY/PURPOSE
1.
This paper set out the increase to specific charges
for meals
on wheels, home care and day care services at a level above inflation.
CONFIDENTIAL/EXEMPT
ITEMS
2.
This report contains no
confidential or exempt items.
BACKGROUND
3.
The bulk of this paper will concentrate on the Meals on Wheels Service,
as there is considerable service change to be effected as part of the revised
charging, and therefore this deserves greater emphasis.
4.
MEALS ON WHEELS - Along with other community care services, the Meals
on Wheels Service was the subject of a Best Value Review, which was completed
in March 2002. This Review pointed out
the shortcomings of the current service, which included regular difficulties
over cooking and delivery arrangements.
Currently a number of kitchens around the Island are used for the
heating of meals and WRVS Volunteers deliver them. The overview of the service is undertaken by Social Services
Contracts Section and this is proving to be a constant source of difficulty for
the staff of that Section as they are regularly trying to sort out a variety of
day to day running problems, which at times includes undertaking the cooking
and delivery themselves.
5.
Following the Best Value Review it was agreed that the Service would be
tendered to an independent provider who would then manage and deliver a
comprehensive meals service. After
considerable negotiation, WRVS have been acknowledged as the preferred tender,
as not only are they substantially cheaper, but they have proven experience of
successfully running similar contracts throughout England. However, despite intensive negotiations the
cost involved is substantially higher (£3.65 per meal) than the apparent cost
under the current system (£2.88),
although this current uint cost does not include overheads and the considerable
hidden cost of keeping a failing system going.
6.
Based on 90,000 meals per annum, no increase to the charge would
represent a budget pressure of £82,855.
7.
It is imperative that a new system is in place for summer 2004 as some
of the existing kitchens no longer
want to continue and equipment is badly in need of replacement. It has only
really been possible to keep a reasonable service going because those involved
have been expecting there to be a new tendered service in place by April 2004.
8.
The new system will be a significant improvement over the existing
provision, with the future ability to
add on features which could not be provided by the current system such as light
teas, ability to sell goods from the vans such as bread, milk, eggs etc. it
will provide a substantial improvement in the quality of food to the users, due
to the introduction of heated vans which cook on route, thereby reducing over
cooked meals. We will also be able to
offer a range of meals which will be able to meet the needs of diverse cultures
as these are required, to include Kosher and Halal foods.
9.
The contract commences with a 5 day hot meal service with frozen meals
at weekends but will be extended to provision of hot meals 7 days per week over
the course of the first year. This will
have an additional benefit of freeing up staff who currently have to go to
users homes to cook meals due to inefficiencies in the current service, we will
work to attract these staff into other home care work.
10.
We are assuming a demand of 90,000 meals per year, which is a small
increase on current provision, as we will be able to provide a more consistent
and better quality service. Experience
nationally has been that price increase have not significantly or consistently
impacted on demand. In conjunction with
the WRVS we will launch a publicity campaign explaining why the charge is to be
reviewed and the benefits of
the new service.
11.
Increases
above the level of inflation are sought in order to maintain service levels at
a time when the cost of providing such services will increase at substantially
above inflationary rates (see Appendix 1).
The charges proposed are in line with those charged by other local
councils (see Appendix 2) and bring charges for meals in line with those
already in effect within our day services, failure to agree this increase would
have a significant impact on the adult services budget.
12.
DAY CARE
SERVICES -we are proposing
that there should be no increase in the charge for lunches as they currently
already charge £2.50 per meal, in order to create parity with the proposed
meals on wheels charges. The increased
charges relating to meals other than lunches would be in line with expected
meals on wheels charges, which would again bring parity between the services
(see Appendix 1).
There
is also an increase in charge proposed for usage of day centre facilities,
including lunch, by guests of users.
There
is a proposed modest increase in charges for bathing which reflect the extra
cost of staffing this service, this takes account that any substantial increase
may put people off using the service and have thus been kept to a minimum.
12.
HOME CARE CHARGES we are proposing an increase to
offset the cost of above inflationary increases to the sector. These remain well within fairer charging
guidelines and although called full cost still provide a subsidised rate on
that paid by IW Council to service providers.
STRATEGIC CONTEXT
13.
Members had approved a new Charging Policy for Non Residential
Care Services in March 2003 that met the statutory guidance issued by the Dept
of Health, commonly referred to as
Fairer Charging. Although the power to
levy charges for non residential care services is discretionary, the income
raised is significant in that it allows the Council to provide services to as
many people as possible, which is important in the context of homecare based
performance indicators.
14.
The Charging Policy approved last year was developed with
recognition to the Community Strategy and Corporate Plan as well as Key
Performance Indicators C26 (reducing admissions to residential care) and C28
(increasing intensive home care packages). It is not considered that the charge
increases proposed in this Report are
contrary to these objectives.
CONSULTATION
15.
A full consultation on the Councils Charging Policy for Non
Residential Care Services was undertaken last year and reported to members.
16.
No specific consultation was considered necessary for the
proposed increases to these charges that were, themselves, subject to the
consultation referred to above
FINANCIAL/BUDGET
IMPLICATIONS
17.
It is projected that the charges proposed in this report will
increase income as follows:
i.
Home Care: £30,000
ii.
Day Care Services: £20,000
iii.
Meals on Wheels: £75,000
This
will have the effect of increasing income to the Council for its non
residential care services by approximately £125,000 against an approximate
increased cost of delivery of £350,000.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
18. The Council has a discretionary power to
charge adult recipients of non-residential services under Section 17 of the
Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983.
19. These new charges meet the requirements of
the statutory guidance, issued by the Department of Health under Section 7 of
the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, and contained in Local Authority
Circular LAC (2001) 32 dated November 2001. This guidance is commonly referred
to as Fairer Charging.
20. The recommendations contained within this
report are compatible within the provision of the Human Rights Act.
CRIME &
DISORDER
21. No
implications.
OPTIONS
22. To approve the scale of charges as set
out in Appendix 1 or to approve some other charging regime.
EVALUATION/RISK MANAGEMENT
23.
In order to maximise income in 04/05 it is necessary
to apply a new scale of charges from April where possible and no later than the
start date of the revised Meals on Wheels service. Existing users have to be
informed of their new charges and this will need to be done before the end of
March.
24.
The proposed scheme of charges represents the best level
of charges to deliver the various strategic objectives referred to in
paragraphs in 13 and 14.
RECOMMENDATIONS
To
approve the charges set out in Appendix 1.
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BACKGROUND PAPERS
There were
no background papers used in the preparation of this report.
APPENDIX
1 Revision of Charges 2004/05
APPENDIX
2 Local comparison charges
Contact
Point : Sandy Weller, Head of Adult
Services - Ext. 2247
Decision:
..
Signed:
.............................................................................................................................
Name of Portfolio
Holder
Date: .................................................................................................................................
THE CALL IN PERIOD FOR THIS DECISION
EXPIRES AT 5.00 PM ON FRIDAY, FRIDAY 19 MARCH 2004. THE DECISION CANNOT BE IMPLEMENTED UNTIL
AFTER THAT DATE.
RECORD OF DECISION TAKEN UNDER DELEGATED POWERS
AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON WEDNESDAY 10 MARCH 2004
Present :
Mr G Kendall, Portfolio Holder for Social
Services and Housing
Mrs E Dutton,
Committee Services