Agenda item

To submit the report of the Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee outlining the feedback from the meeting of the Working Group on 11 September 2017.

Submitted – the report of the Chair of the Committee on a meeting of the above-mentioned working group held on 11 September 2017 to consider the 'Social Services Complaints Procedures' audit that had received a category B rating along with audits that received a category C rating, namely -

a) Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)

b) Support Workers (Adults).

Officers had been invited to attend the meeting to discuss the matters that had arisen from the audits and the work undertaken to reinforce the internal regulations in question since the audit reports had been published.            

Members of the Working Group expressed their concern about the financial risk to the Council because of the backlog of DoLS assessments and that the cost of not carrying out DoLS assessments could be as much as £1000 per individual per week.

A member asked whether Social Services had to complete DoLS assessments or could other bodies complete them. In response, the Audit Manager stated that Social Services were responsible for completing DoLS assessments; only in cases where the individual was in hospital could the Health Service carry out assessments. She added that the Council held training sessions for private care homes which had led to an increase in the number of referrals for DoLS assessments.

A member of the Working Group stated that the meeting had been an eye opener as regards the work with assessments taking place outside the County when a Gwynedd resident needed a DoLS assessment, leading to an increase in the time taken to complete the assessment because of a need to travel.

In response to a question by a member about the Adults, Health and Well-being Department's capacity to complete DoLS assessments, the Audit Manager stated that two posts had recently been filled and that an agreement was in place for 25 Social Workers who have a Best Interest Assessors (BIA) accreditation to complete one assessment per month. She added that not many Social Workers completed one assessment a month.

The Head of Finance Department stated that this was a high risk field and that the Working Group, in accordance with the content of the report, should receive an update from the relevant Senior Managers within six months. Sufficient notice should also be given to the Head of Adults, Health and Well Being Department that the performance against targets given to BIA accredited Social Workers had been discussed and that consideration should be given to requesting the attendance of the Head of Department.

A member stated that the Head of Department and Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Well-being should come before the Committee on 30 November 2017, with the Working Group receiving an update by the relevant Senior Managers within six months.

RESOLVED:

(i)     to accept the report;

(ii)    to invite the Head of Adults, Health and Well-being and the Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Well-being to the meeting of the Committee on 30 November 2017 to discuss DoLS arrangements;

(iii)  that the Controls Improvements Working Group receive an update from the relevant Senior Managers within six months on the DoLS arrangements.