Agenda item

Cabinet Member:      Councillor W. Gareth Roberts

To receive an update on the progress and development of the above scheme.   (Copy enclosed)

*12.00 – 12.20 p.m.

(a)          An update was provided on the progress and development of the above scheme and the Gwynedd Senior Adults Manager guided members through the report, noting the progress made in terms of implementing the integrated working model, the Alltwen Scheme.   It was pleasing to note that elements had moved on with good examples of various teams working in a different way.   The five areas where the integrated plan would be rolled-out to were listed, namely:       

Bangor Area

Caernarfon Area

Llŷn Area

Eifionydd / North Meirionnydd Area 

South Meirionnydd Area

           Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and the Gwynedd Senior Adults Manager responded as follows:

(i)    It was acknowledged that there was a need to consider extending the hours of providing the integrated service over seven days.   It would be challenging to implement an extension in working hours and days within the current workforce without additional staffing resources.  Care had to be taken that any changes to hours did not impair the ability to respond effectively during core hours and that they were in-keeping with the principles of retaining ownership of a case. It was intended to complete further work having established the service within five areas in order to see the nature of the demand for support outside normal office hours and on weekends and identify the skills needed to meet the need outside core hours.  The Senior Adults Manager referred to an example of measuring the demand in relation to considering extending the working hours of home carers overnight in the south of the County. The majority of the calls related to the need for nursing skills and the examples of a need for the carers service were scarce.

It was noted further that an out-of-hours service was already operational across Gwynedd and Anglesey.

(ii) In terms of the timetable for the provision of a single integrated electronic system for the teams, it was explained that the Social Services department was using the new WCCIS system since August 2017.   There was an intention for the Health Board to join soon, but the Senior Adults Manager could not specify a date.  It was agreed to ask the Senior Transformation Manager for an update on the timetable. It was added that there were challenges in terms of recording the information bilingually and this could complicate integrated working at times. 

(iii)   For further information, the Corporate Director referred to the 'Parliamentary Review of Health and Social Care in Wales' under the leadership of Dr Ruth Hussey, and it was encouraging to note that the above format provided a good foundation for work and coincided with many elements in the report.  

          Resolved:                     (a) To accept, note and give thanks for the report.

                                       (b) To ask the Gwynedd Senior Adults Manager to send the contact number of the Integrated Teams in the five areas to the members of the Scrutiny Committee. 

                                                     (c) To ask the Head of Adults, Health and Well-being Department to invite the Scrutiny Committee members to visit the Area Teams when convenient. 

                                                     (ch) To ask the Members Support and Scrutiny Manager to send the link below to the Scrutiny Committee members so that they can access the report referred to in (iii) above:

http://gov.wales/topics/health/nhswales/review/?skip=1&lang=cy