Issue - items at meetings - Development of Shared Lives

Report of Executive Director of Adult Services

(1)               That  it be agreed to have a 12 week consultation, with relevant stakeholders, on the intention to transfer SPFT Shared Lives to the In-House scheme.

(2)               That it be agreed that once the consultation process is completed, a further report including consultation outcomes and an Equalities Impact Assessment will be presented to Committee for a decision about the potential transfer.

57.1    The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director of Adult Services which requested permission to consult on the potential transfer of the Sussex Foundation Trust Shared Lives Scheme (SPFT Shared Lives) to the Brighton & Hove Shared Lives Scheme (In-House).  The report was presented by the Shared Lives Project Care Manager.

57.2    Councillor Mears asked for clarification regarding the appendix to the report.  She asked if the Grace Eyre Foundation was the only provider that included mental health.   The Shared Lives Project Care Manager explained that the In-House team have vacancies to pilot two service users with mental health needs. It was proposed to have a more general service dealing with the specific needs of each person.

57.3    Councillor Meadows supported the proposal for an in-house service but queried whether this would be placed under arms length management.  She referred to the recent report on New Models of Service Delivery for Adult Social Care Provider Services which was submitted to Policy and Resources Committee.  Councillor Meadows stated that she had not seen this report.

57.4    The Executive Director of Adult Services reported that Policy and Resources Committee approved the report on developing a business case for new models of service delivery.  As a result, each service would be reviewed to consider the best way of providing those services.  One option was to remain in-house.  There would be an analysis of all services. 

57.5    The Chair stressed that the Shared Lives service was currently run by the Sussex Partnership Trust and that the service was more at risk in its current location.

57.6    Councillor Meadows asked if the work of the Grace Eyre Foundation would be taken in-house.  The Shared Lives Project Care Manager replied that the Grace Eyre Foundation would continue to support people with mental health needs and that their work would not be taken in-house.   The proposed transfer of services related to the 16 SPFT Shared Lives service users as they are in a scheme with not contractual framework and not officially allocated staff provision. 

57.7    Jane Viner stressed that it was vital that a quality service was provided.  Some people had been supported for two decades. Changes in service needed to be carried out in a gradual and careful way.  Ms Viner noted that fees paid to carers were different and asked if they had been consulted.  The Shared Lives Project Care Manager assured Ms Viner that changes would be made with service users in ‘the driving seat’. Consultation would help to start those conversations.  The point about carer’s fees was important and to avoid a lack of equality or resentment it was proposed that SPFT carers received the same amount of money for two years.  

57.8    Councillor Mears asked what would happen to carer’s fees after two years.  She further asked for an explanation of paragraph 3.6 of the report relating to staffing implications.  The Shared Lives Project Care Manager explained that with regard to carer’s fees it was necessary to ensure placements were secure and safe.  Carer’s fees needed to be harmonised and there would be conversations with carers about this matter.  The In-house team had a banding system and SPFT had one fee.  There needed to be a conversation  with carers about this matter.   With regard to staffing implications, SPFT staff were currently providing a service in addition to their normal duties.  The current In-House team was able to absorb the service.  It was also discussed that upfront investment on an extra Shared Lives In-House member of the staff has already been agreed by senior management as part of the overall development of Shared Lives.  This investment is independent of this transfer.

57.9    RESOLVED - (1) That it be agreed to have a 12 week consultation, with relevant stakeholders, on the intention to transfer SPFT Shared Lives to the In-House scheme.

(2)       That it be agreed that once the consultation process is completed, a further report including consultation outcomes and an Equalities Impact Assessment will be presented to Committee for a decision about the potential transfer.