Agenda item

Cabinet Members:  Cllr. Mair Rowlands – Children and Young People

                                 Cllr.  W. Gareth Roberts – Adults, Health and Welfare

 

To consider a report by both the Cabinet Members on the above.

 

(Copy enclosed)

 

10.00 a.m. – 10.45 a.m.

Submitted - a draft report of the North Wales Population Needs Assessment produced in accordance with the requirement of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.

 

The Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Well-being provided the background. He was of the opinion that people needed to be encouraged to take responsibility for their health and future early enough in order to make life easier and more comfortable should their health deteriorate.  He explained that this could involve moving to smaller houses, moving closer to family etc. in order to receive support whilst living independently.    He emphasised that steps needed to be tailored to individuals' needs but that people should think about the future whilst they were still healthy and independent.

 

In response to the above, a Member disagreed with the above observation.  Another Member added that the main problem was the difficulty for individuals to accept that their health was deteriorating and some suffered with dementia with everyone wishing to retain their independence.

 

Members were given an opportunity to offer observations on the content of the report and the following points were highlighted for further consideration:

 

(a)  This type of assessment was welcomed but there was concern about the influx of individuals who had retired to European countries who could come to Gwynedd, in light of the European referendum result.  Should this happen, it was asked whether or not any provision for this was being considered.  

 

(b)  Learning Disabilities - it was welcomed that the provision was being supported but there was no reference in the document to collaboration with the mental health service. 

(c)  Emphasis and assurance should be placed on the language needs of service users

(ch)The value of volunteers' unpaid contributions should be recognised

(d)  Schemes to develop services and support to tackle loneliness were welcomed but there was concern about the continuation of such schemes in relation to funding them in future.   Specific reference was made to the Ffrindia' Scheme which appeared to be a success but it was coming to an end; as a result, it would affect those people who had taken advantage of the scheme.

(dd)In terms of increasing extra care housing provision, an appeal was made for the Service

      to share information with elected members about future plans.

(e)  In relation to future needs, there was a need to empower communities and as a result that there was an important role to identify ageing individuals.  The need to be confident to contact individuals in their communities was added as rural areas did not often receive services from the third sector. 

(f)   Engagement - a request was made for details regarding who contributed to the questionnaire that had been sent to users.

(ff)  It should be recognised that provision for children and young people with severe and complex needs was costly.  Reference to the needs of the autism spectrum disorder was welcomed and attention was drawn to the need to collaborate with relevant services in this context in terms of provision.  Attention was drawn to an increase where a cluster of approximately 10 children had been seen in one area.  

(g)  It was asked whether officers were satisfied that the assessment was cross-departmental?

(ng)Would there be collaboration with extra care housing providers such as Cynefin and

     specifically on provision in the south of the county?

(h)  Importance of recognising and addressing the matters raised about mental health and there was concern about the need to use acute beds outside north Wales.                                                                                                             

 

A response was received to the above observations from relevant officers as follows:

 

·         An assessment of needs was before the committee and that action plans would be provided in future.  As this was the first assessment and that it was based on evidence rather than anecdotal evidence, it was further noted:  When it would be reviewed, it was hoped that the Service could fill the gaps and commission in a wiser manner by using information received.

 

·         The Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Well-being emphasised that it was a time of financial austerity everywhere with service capacity reducing.  Consideration would have to be given to the range of services and volunteer capacity.

 

·         In relation to engagement, information about the number of people who contributed to the questionnaire from Gwynedd would be found and shared with Members. 

 

·         The Head of Adults, Health and Well-being Department was satisfied with the information but he acknowledged that there were gaps and emphasised that a regional evidence base had been received, and that engagement would continue in future.  It was explained that this was the best information that existed at present.   

 

·         The well-being assessment concurred to examine what was available in communities and that an emphasis on the care element had been included in the assessment before the committee. When the above assessment was revisited, it was added that it would be integrated into the population assessment.  Further reference was made to the Ageing Well report that had recently been submitted to the Cabinet which specifically referred to well-being elements such as care plans and identified what needed to be done for the future.

 

·         Investing in extra care provision was essential and part of the wider picture but that it depended on contributions from the Government and it was confirmed that the Service did everything it could to secure a share of this money.  It was further noted that many areas had been identified across the County in terms of need and certainly areas in the south and west of the County.

 

·         Welsh Government had acknowledged that the work undertaken was comprehensive.  It must be borne in mind that it reflected an assessment at a specific period of time and that it was becoming outdated on a daily basis; however, it was ensured that a more local investigation would be undertaken with the intention of integrating the information received into the next assessment to meet more local needs.

 

·         Domestic abuse - it was explained that the Council's Deputy Leader served on a multi-agency Partnership with Anglesey and that it was a main priority for the partnership. It was further suggested that perhaps it would be possible to scrutinise the work of the Partnership above.  It was also noted that the Service collaborated with the Police and it was recognised that it was a field that needed to be monitored. 

 

·         With regards to the development of new respite care provision at the new Hafod Lon School, it was explained that the Children's Department was working diligently on this development.

 

Resolved:       (a) To approve the report subject to giving detailed consideration to the following elements when preparing local assessments and action plans based on the population assessment:

 

(i)            Projection of the population and inward migration trends of older people in Gwynedd

(ii)          Learning Disabilities, Mental Health and Autism - need to highlight collaboration with other services

(iii)         Language Assessment - emphasis on language needs of service users

(iv)         Recognise the value of volunteers' contributions

(v)          Engagement - more work required regarding numbers, commissioning plan, proportionate representation from Gwynedd, and empower rural communities

(vi)         More information regarding abuse against women