8.2

 

North Somerset Council

 

REPORT TO housing health & social care for adults policy & scrutiny panel

 

Date of Meeting:                         27^th July 2005

 

Subject of Report:                     Interim Report on Ebdon Court Review

 

Town or parish:                         All

 

Officer/Member presenting:  Gerald Hunt Assistant Director Finance and Resources

 

Key Decision:  No

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

It is recommended that:

 

Members of the committee note and comment upon this report.

 

1.                  Summary of Report

 

The attached report (appendix 1) summarises progress to date on the review of services for Older People with mental health problems provided on the Ebdon Court site.  Members are invited to comment and advise on the content of this report and the issues raised.

 

2.                  Policy

 

The review resulted from a decision taken by the Council in January 2005 to withdraw a proposal to close Poppyfields Care Home and to review all the services based on the Ebdon Court site.  These include two day centres, the Poppyfields Care Home and services provided by the Alzheimer’s Society and the Dementia Care Trust.  The resolution agreed by Council was “that the Executive Member for Social Care asks the Director, Service Manager, staff and representatives of service users and carers to work with him over the coming months to review all services delivered from this site, in order to reduce costs but ensure the continued provision of quality care”.

 

3.                  Details

 

3.1       The review commenced in April 2005 and is due to be completed by the end of September with a report to Executive in October 2005.  A steering group has been formed comprising relevant staff from the Housing and Social Services Department, stakeholder representatives including users and carers as well as representatives of the voluntary sector organisations using Ebdon Court and UNISON.  The steering group is chaired by Councillor Ashton.  Terms of reference for the Review are attached as Appendix 2.

 

3.2 A more detailed financial analysis has been carried out of the costs of the services and the reasons for the high cost of the residential service in particular.

 

3.2 A project manager has been appointed to coordinate review activities and the steering group has met three times to date with a large amount of activity between meetings.  As part of the work of the review, a needs analysis has been completed which is also attached to this report (appendix 3).

 

3.3 Issues relating to the condition and maintenance needs of the property have been discussed with Property Services.  These are briefly summarised within the report.

 

3.4 Views of service users and carers have been sought on the quality of the services provided at Ebdon Court via a number of questionnaires and a comparison of outcomes for residents has been carried out using another home in the same registration category as the comparator.

 

3.5 The review is now at the stage where options are being developed for the future of the services on this site for consideration by the Executive at its October meeting.  These options will need to be consistent with the Council’s January decision on the review and with national and local strategies for this care group.

 

6.                  Consultation

 

Consultation will take place on the options put before members and on any preferred option selected by the Executive.

 

7.                  Financial Implications

 

There are no new financial implications from this report

 

8.                  Equality Implications

 

The review will take account of issues of equality and disadvantage faced by older people with mental health problems and their relatives and carers.

 

9.                  Corporate Implications

 

The outcome of the review will seek to progress the corporate aim of enhancing health and well-being.

 

 

Author

 

Paul Slade

Assistant Director Adult Care

Housing and Social Services Department