Agenda item - Community Meals - Post Transitions User Survey

Report of the Executive Director for Health and Adult Social Care (Copy attached).

7.1         RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

7.1         The Commissioning Manager, Adult Social Care introduced the report which outlined the findings from a survey undertaken by Brighton and Hove Impetus in relation to the decision to end the contracted Community Meals Service on the 31^st March 2016.  She noted that the results had shown a number of people had opted to provide for themselves or find alternative provision to meet their needs.  She also noted that the decision to cease the service had meant a loss in terms of welfare checks for those people who had been in receipt of a community meal.

7.2         The Board welcomed the report and queried whether there was any concern in regard to the loss of a welfare check and the lack of a suitable diet or people going hungry as a result of choosing to feed themselves.  Members of the Board also queried whether additional providers could be added to the Approved Provider List and noted that whilst the decision to cease the service had been reported to the Board, it would have been helpful to have received a report on the matter before that decision was taken. 

7.3         Councillor Page stated that he remained concerned that some isolated elderly and disabled people may fall through the safety net, now that nutritious home-delivered meals were no longer subsidised, and few users of the previous RVS service had taken up with the new approved providers, hence missing out on the welfare check. He noted that the Board had not received any report on this change of service until now, and hoped that in future it would be involved in such decisions.

7.4         The Commissioning Manager, Adult Social Care stated that it was possible for additional providers to be added to the Approved Provider list as long as they met the set criteria.  She also noted that it was felt that in exercising their own choice for their provision of meals, people were more in control over what they were eating.  They were also able to decide where and when they would eat and choosing to share meals or eat with friends and families.  She also drew the Board’s attention to a leaflet produced by the Food Poverty Partnership about eating well that was available and had been included with the supporting papers on the council’s website for the current Board meeting.

7.5         The Chair noted the comments and asked whether any issues had been raised in regard to people’s welfare and nutrition that Board Members were aware of.

7.6         David Liley stated that he was not aware of anything being brought to the attention of Healthwatch and Mia Brown confirmed that she was not aware of any matters being raised at the Adult Safeguarding Board.

7.7         The Chair noted the comments and moved that the report be noted.

7.8         RESOLVED: That the report be noted.