Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Adult Services.

Submitted – a report by the Head of Adult’s Services in relation to the above.

The Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Social Services reported that the work of the Regional Partnership Board provides strategic guidance to all partners supporting individuals to maintain their health and wellbeing within communities which is consistent with the Councils goal to support vulnerable adults and families to remain safe, health and independent.  She noted that Part 9 of the Social Services and Well-being Act 2014 requires that each region in Wales establishes a Regional Partnership Board to oversee Partnerships and Integration of services.  The North Wales Regional Partnership Board was established in April 2016.  The Act required that a Regional Partnership Board needs to manage and develop services to secure strategic planning and partnership working between local authorities and Local Health Boards and to ensure effective services, care and support are in place to best meet the needs of their respective population.  Membership of the Board is mandated and includes representatives from the Health Board, Local Authorities as well as the third and independent sector representatives.  The Board has co-opted members from Wales Ambulance Service, Fire Service, Police and Housing onto the Board.  The Board must also have a Carer and service user representative.  It was said that the Regional Partnership Board has been supported by the Head of Regional Collaboration and Regional Collaboration Team hosted in Denbighshire County Council. 

The Leader gave an insight to the achievements to date as noted within the report as follows:-

·      Learning Disability Strategy

·      Carers Strategy

·      Integration Work (Pooled Budgets work and ICF work)

·      Boards accountable to the Regional Partnership Board and their achievements to date

·      North Wales’ response to a ‘Healthier Wales’

·      The Regional Partnerships Boards Influence Locally

The Head of Adult’s Services reported that statutory guidance relating to the implementation of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 requires local authorities to make arrangements to promote co-operation with the relevant partners and others, in relation to adults with needs for care and support, carers and children.  Part 9 of the Act also provides for partnership arrangements between local authorities and Local Health Boards for the discharge of their functions.  Under the Act, Local Authorities and Local Health Boards are required to establish Regional Partnership Boards to manage and develop services to secure strategic planning and partnership working between local authorities and Local Health Boards and to ensure effective services, care and support are in place to best meet the needs of their respective population.  He reported that the work of the Regional Partnership Board is strengthening over time and being part of the Board allows all local authorities to access grant funding provided by the Welsh Government towards improving provision. 

The Committee considered the report and raised the following :-

·      Questions raised as to whether there is joint working between the Regional Partnership Board and the Public Services Board and the main difference between each Boards. The Head of Regional Collaboration – Business Management Support responded that the Chair of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Public Services Board is a member of the Regional Partnership Board and topics which are relevant to both Boards is shared.  She noted it is imperative that the work undertaken by both Boards does not overlap as Welsh Government has unfortunately placed an expectation as regards to the Social Services and Well-being Act on both Boards.  The Regional Partnership Board role is to formulise regional frameworks and strategies;

·      Reference was made that the Regional Partnership Board produced a Population Needs Assessment in 2017 which assessed the care and support needs of the population in North Wales.  Statistics shows that Mental Health issues are on an increase and greater numbers of people are committing suicide; questions arose as to whether the Regional Partnership Board is able to tackle or respond to this issue.  The Head of Adult’s Services responded that the Regional Partnership Board has submitted a bid which totals £2.3m to Welsh Government to support improvements in Mental Health care and to be able to guide people to the services required swiftly.  Work is being undertaken to train frontline Ambulance personnel to be able to identify people who are in crisis and who have Mental Health needs.  Crisis cafes are to be developed to allow people access to facilities and assistance when faced with mental health problems.    The Leader of the Council expressed that having all the agencies within the Regional Partnership Board is beneficial to be able to highlight issues of concern and especially Mental Health issues.  The Head of Regional Collaboration – Business Management Support said that the third sector is paramount as they are able to help to give support and advice locally to people who need assistance.  The Head of Adult’s Services reported that work is undertaken in respect of Mental Health which is not necessarily undertaken by the Regional Partnership Board.  He noted that work is undertaken locally through the Local Implementation Team and through Mental Health Partnership Board; he suggested that a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee outlining the work undertaken as regard to Mental Health;

·      Reference was made as to the Regional Partnerships Boards influence locally and specifically to the services identified within the report as regards to the Integrated Care Fund schemes.  Questions were raised if all the schemes within the report have been delivered.  The Head of Adult’s Services reported that most of the services now exist i.e. Nighowls, Step-up/Step-down capacity in Care Homes and Extra Care, Paramedic supporting Môn Enhanced Care, Development of 4 Llawr y Dref flats to support clients with a disability, Planned Hospice Beds in Ysbyty Penrhos Stanley, Holyhead to be available summer 2019, Domiciliary Care and Investment in Small Group Homes Project for Children’s Services;

·      The Vice-Chair referred to the over spend within Children’s Services and questioned whether the Regional Partnership Board is assisting the local authority.  The Leader of the Council responded that the Regional Partnership Board has submitted bids as part of Welsh Government’s Transformation Fund to respond to their focus of a ‘Healthier Wales’ programme and children’s services is part of these bids.  The total of the bids is £3m over two years across the region to enable early intervention to be put in place.  The Leader further noted that this authority has put in place an ‘edge of care’ team and the experienced gained locally has assisted the Regional Partnership Board in formulating the bidding process;

·      Questions raised as to the challenges the Regional Partnership Board is facing.  The Leader of the Council responded that there has been a challenge in attaining people from the statutory organisations to attend the meeting but commitment to the Board has improved recently.  She noted that the Regional Partnership Board is held on a monthly basis and as Portfolio Holder for Social Services the Leader is this authority’s representative as well as being a representative on the Public Services Board. 

The Chief Executive reported that it has been a challenge to establish the Regional Partnership Board and the immense functions it includes.  Some of the functions of the Board include:-

·      Ensuring Regional Response to the Population Needs Assessment;

·      Promoting Pooled Funds where appropriate and where mandated;

·      Prioritise integration in specific services : Older Peoples Services, Learning Disability Services, Carers, Integrated Family Support Services and Children with Complex Needs;

·      Ensuring appropriate information, advice and assistance is available for the local population.

He noted that extensive discussions has been undertaken by the Board as regards to young children needs and issues.  The Police Authority has undertaken a prominent role within the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) services.   

It was RESOLVED:-

·      To accept the report as an update regarding the role and purpose of the Regional Partnership Board

·      That a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee outlining the work undertaken as regard to Mental Health and the work undertaken by the Mental Health Partnership Board.

ACTION : As note above.