Agenda item

To accept and note the information in the report.

The report was submitted by Councillor ⁠Dilwyn Morgan.

DECISION

To accept and note the information in the report.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted thanking all care workers who were working to support vulnerable people throughout the year, and especially during the extreme weather recently.

It was confirmed that there had been work to upgrade care homes in Abermaw and Dolgellau. In the same manner, pride was expressed regarding the work in Hafod Mawddach. It was confirmed that work was ongoing to find suitable individuals to use the equipment available in Abermaw and Hafod Mawddach currently. Pride was expressed that the necessary specialist Dementia care was now available to patients in Hafod Mawddach following a challenging period.

It was acknowledged that the Council's ability to act as a landlord in Tŷ Meurig, which provided accommodation to individuals who received the Department's support, had been challenging in the past. Despite this, it was confirmed that the Council had received confirmation that it was possible to act as a landlord and provide tenancy, ensuring more control over the provision for similar developments. It was elaborated that the Department had collaborated with the Housing and Property Department to design the building in the hope of receiving planning permission when timely.

It was explained that there was a slight slippage in the timetable to develop supported housing where it was intended to be ready by the end of the current financial year. However, it was confirmed that the Department was trying to ensure that this house in Pwllheli would be ready before summer 2025. It was elaborated that a second house in Penrhyndeudraeth was likely to be ready by spring 2025.

It was reported that the tendering work to develop Canolfan Dolfeurig had been undertaken recently, but the bids submitted were substantially higher than the funding committed to within the Council's Plan. It was elaborated that the department had been holding discussions with the Welsh Government regarding the possibility of funding the gap in the plan's costs and it was emphasised that the decision would be announced very soon, to be able to commence the development of the site.

Pride was expressed that a Learning Disability Career Pathway Coordinator had been appointed and work to promote work opportunities and support individuals into paid work was underway.

It was explained that the percentage of unmet domiciliary care hours was at its lowest for a year, with 84 individuals waiting for domiciliary care. It was emphasised that the Department was holding discussions with partners nationally to ensure that fewer people had to wait for a domiciliary care service in the future.

Attention was drawn to the Older People, Physical and Sensory Disabilities Service, acknowledging that the waiting list to receive a care assessment continued to increase. It was explained that the main challenge related to lack of occupational therapists’ capacity. Emphasis was given to the fact that the Department was aware of these challenges, trying to ensure that resources and officers were targeted effectively to resolve some of the problems arising.

It was noted that an increase could be seen in the percentage of adults who received direct payments to fund their own care arrangements. It was elaborated that many guidelines had been developed, as well as campaigns to promote this proposal.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       All the individuals in the County who were unpaid carers were thanked. It was acknowledged that their work was extremely important as part of Care provision in Gwynedd. It was emphasised that one of the Department's strategic priorities was campaigning to share information about the support available for unpaid carers, such as education and work support, encouraging carers of any age to contact the Council if they were caring for their loved ones.