REASON FOR SELECT COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

To monitor progress made against the improvement plan previously presented to the Social Services & Housing Select Committee in May 2001 and January 2003.

ACTION REQUIRED BY THE SELECT COMMITTEE

To debate and evaluate the progress made in meeting the Best Value Implementation Plan.

BACKGROUND

A Best Value Review of Care Management and Commissioning was undertaken by the Isle of Wight Council’s Social Services and Housing Directorate, starting in May 2000 with the final report being produced in March 2001. The Council’s Executive Committee agreed the subsequent report and action plan on the 10^th May 2001.

A project team supported this review and consisted of council staff, representatives from the health service, voluntary and independent stakeholder organisations. Council Members were reported to at key stages of the review. The Social Services Inspectorate (SSI) later evaluated the review.

The context of the review included the findings of the 1999 Joint Review of Social Services that drew attention to the need to improve the care management process as well as improving the commissioning and contracting arrangement for adult care services. The review was also mindful of the governments programme for modernising health and social care services and emerging legislation such as the Health and Social Care Bill 2000 and “Supporting People” arrangements; which continues to have a significant impact on how the council supports, both practically and financially, people in the community.

The review took note of the changes already taking place under the Partnership in Action agenda, with lead commissioning for mental health moving to the Primary Care Trust, and the merging of mental health services, with the exception of the Approved Social Work Service, under the general management of the Isle of Wight NHS Trust. Future population projections were taken into account with demographic trends indicating a significant rise in people over 65.

The review found that care management and commissioning services (including contracting) provided by the Isle of Wight Council Social Services and Housing Directorate were well regarded and generated favourable national measures for the provision of adult social care. There were however aspects of the reviewed services which would benefit from improvement and change. These were:

· Variations in access to information and staff, care management practice, application of process and service management.

· Care management retains many inefficient processes which do not directly benefit staff, service users and other stakeholders.

· Care management and commissioning services operate relatively inefficient information systems and insufficiently adequate performance management.

A Best Value Implementation Plan was produced, and previously presented to the Social Services and Housing Committee in May 2001 and January 2003 and has now been updated again. On the attached plan members will note that issues which are considered to have been achieved are left unshaded, those where significant progress has occurred or where a momentum for achievement exists are shaded in light grey and those requiring further work are shaded in dark grey. His clearly shows that most actions points have been achieved and good progress has been made on others, there remain only a few areas where progress is limited, and even here work is ongoing and demonstrable showing overall that the service is moving in the right direction.

Given the level of progress made in meeting the improvement plan, members may well now wish not to keep on having a revised plan presented at future committees but rather have papers presented on the specific outstanding issues as necessary.

RELEVANT PLANS, POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

There are overall links to the Best Value Review and Improvement Plan, Adults Service Plan, Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) and Delivery Improvement Statement (DIS) as well as the Quarterly Performance Management Report (QPMR).

CONSULTATION PROCESS

Full consultation took place as part of the original review.

FINANCIAL, LEGAL, CRIME AND DISORDER IMPLICATIONS

No new issues

APPENDICES ATTACHED

Appendix A 2002 Adult Services Best Value Improvement Plan, Nov 2003 update version

BACKGROUND PAPERS USED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS REPORT

· Best Value Improvement Plan, Care Management and Commissioning

· Social Services and Housing Directorate Best Value Review of Care Management and Commissioning March 2001, (in members library).

· Social Services Inspectorate, Inspection of Best Value Review September 2001, (in members library).

· Adult Services Service Plan 2004/5

· Quarterly Performance Management Report

Contact Point : Martin Henson, Acting Head of Adult Services – Tel: 520600