Agenda item

The Committee received a report providing a position statement regarding how adult social care services had continued to be managed during the second wave of the pandemic and highlighting the service priorities going forward.

The report described how the Authority managed the second wave of the pandemic, lessons learnt and how this informed service priorities going forward.

The Executive Board Member for Social Care and Health confirmed that from an Integrated Services and Adult Social Care perspective, the Authority had continued to as far as possible maintain business as usual.  The Authority had continued to offer Information Advice and Assistance (IAA) in line with the requirements of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act and carried out social care assessments where required.

The Committee was advised that in the second wave, significantly more care home outbreaks had been experienced.  There had been an increase in safeguarding activity and an increase in the complexity of referrals. 

The Executive Board Member for Social Care and Health highlighted that during the second wave, the workforce has continued to amaze her with their flexibility and resilience.  In-house residential staff had been deployed to support independent sector care homes where needed at times of Covid outbreaks.  Both the Executive Board Member for Social Care and Health and the committee expressed their thanks for their commitment and outstanding work.

It was noted that the pandemic had a huge emotional and psychological impact on staff, and that the impact should not be underestimated.  Reassurance was provided that everything possible was being done to support staff through these challenging times. 

A number of questions / observations were raised on the report. The main matters were as follows:

·         Concern was raised regarding the number of vacant beds in care homes and the viability of care home providers.  The Head of Integrated service acknowledged that this was a very real concern to both in-house and external care homes as they continue to face challenges.  Currently there was dedicated funding in place to alleviate the economic impact on care homes.  It was also stated that the current situation had presented an opportunity for the Authority to consider the potential to offer a dedicated step up and step down service provision.

·         It was asked what plans were in place to re-open Day Centres and if the waiting list for the service was high.  The Head of Integrated Services advised that the Authority was waiting the publication of national guidance before re-opening the service.  It was also highlighted that social distancing would impact on the level of service that the Authority would be able to provide.  It was stated that there was no waiting list as the service wasn’t being provided and that alternative support packages had been provided instead. 

·         Concern was raised regarding the mental health and wellbeing of children and younger people.  The Committee was advised that the Education and Children Department were mindful of the impact and were working through options of support.

·         Concern was expressed regarding the effect of working through the pandemic had had on front-line staff.  The Committee was assured that the wellbeing of staff was important and that it was recognised how difficult it had been.  The department had been working with Occupational Health in developing support mechanisms and various solutions had been put in place.

·         Concern was expressed regarding the suspension of the respite service.  The Head of Integrated Service said that due to covid families were reluctant to take up the service, however the Authority had looked at alternative ways to support families which included 1 to 1 support at home.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.