Agenda and minutes

None declared.

To confirm the minutes from the meeting on 7 August 2019.

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 August 2019 be confirmed and signed by the Chair. 

To receive a presentation on health and social care in Telford and Wrekin from Liz Noakes, Director of Public Health and Sarah Dillon, Director: Adult Social Care.

The Committee received a presentation from Sarah Dillon, Director: Adult Social Care, Telford & Wrekin Council and Liz Noakes which intended to provide an all-encompassing update on Health and Adult Social Care in Telford and Wrekin. It was established that the presentation would be split into key topics and presented by the respective senior officers, followed by a Q&A session related to that topic. The Director: Adult Social Care began by contextualising the presentation and outlined the approach that had been taken in Adult Social Care, the aims, the Adult Social Care Charter, the achievements and the response to COVID-19.

Supporting Older People

The first key topic the committee heard about related to the support that was available for older people in Telford and Wrekin, which was presented by from Victoria Worthington, Service Delivery Manager: Community Social Work and Adult Safeguarding, Telford & Wrekin Council and  Amardeep Grewal, Service Delivery Manager: Community Social Work, Telford & Wrekin Council. The presentation outlined how referrals were made and support delivered in the community by three locality teams based in Hadley, Lakeside and Wrekin. These locality teams were made up of a variety of partnerships across a number of organisations and teams, while centred around a GP practice in the area of the locality team. Members heard about the key issues that were being faced and the impact COVID had on the delivery of services.

Members thanked the officer for the work they had done previously but also in response to COVID-19.

Members were concerned that there may be many isolated and lonely individuals within the borough as day care centres had been closed since March 2020 and likewise, there may be many carers who were not getting the respite they needed. The Service Delivery Manager: Community Social Care said they had worked closely with their specialist health services to respond to the needs of the community. Likewise, in response to COVID-19 and the closure of day centres, alternative means of fulfilling the social contact individuals would get from the day centres had been developed such as the shielding and guarding calls as a way of support and connect individuals and that day care centres were routinely checking on those they cared for.

Members asked about the additional support available for those living with dementia and their carer’s, in particular the council tax relief. The Service Delivery Manager: Community Social Work and Adult Safeguarding said she would need to check this with the benefits advisory service.

Members asked how support for carers was monitored to ensure that none fell through the gaps. The Service Delivery Manager: Community Social Care responded by saying that one of the lessons learnt was the importance of physically posting letters which contain important information. Likewise, in collaboration with the Carers Partnership Board, an informal local winter plan for carers was created which collated useful and practical information and sent to every known carer to the Council and every single carer known to Carers Centre. The Service Delivery Manager: Community Social  ...  view the full minutes text for item HAC-7

None.