Agenda item

To seek authorisation to work with Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust (GCS) in the reconfiguring and expanding of the home based components of the new reablement service for Gloucestershire.  

Cllr Roger Wilson, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care: Commissioning, sought to develop and agree, (with Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust), a new reablement service in Gloucestershire to support people and thereby allowing them to remain independent in their own homes.

Having considered all of the information, including known proposals, alternative options and reasons for recommendations, Cabinet noted the report and,

RESOLVED to authorise:

1.    The Director of Integration, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Adult Social Care Commissioning and Adult Social Care Delivery, to work with Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust (GCS) as the preferred single lead provider in reconfiguring and expanding the Home Based components of the Reablement Service; including the establishment of a Home First offer that supports discharge from hospital.

2.    The continued utilisation of Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) employed reablement workers (currently managed by GCS under existing Section 113 arrangements) as the core staff that will deliver the higher levels of home-based reablement activity including the proposed new Home First service.

3.    The implementation of additional staffing capacity to deliver the Home-Based activity described in paragraph 1 of the published decision report, to be achieved through recruitment to currently established GCC roles (with potential additional capacity to be commissioned by GCS under Lead Provider arrangements).

4.    To adopt the Enhanced Independence Offer Operating Model outlined in section 3.3 of the published decision report (‘the Model) to enable people to remain independent for longer in their own homes.  This will enable the reconfiguration of short-term bed capacity, under existing contracts with third party suppliers, into ring fenced units that will provide capacity across the County. This will be optimised for the predicted reduction in reablement and assessment activity as more people receive support at home. Provision at Great Western Court will continue alongside the Enhanced Independence Offer Operating Model outlined in section 3.3 of the report (the “Model”).

5.    The targeting of existing GCC reablement services and funding in support of the proposed Model, whilst noting that the final configuration of reablement services will be determined by the Joint Commissioning Partnership Board, once NHS as well as GCC’s Adult Social Care demand and benefits are taken into account. 

Cllr Roger Wilson, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care: Commissioning, sought to develop and agree, (with Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust), a new reablement service in Gloucestershire to support people and thereby allowing them to remain independent in their own homes.

Cllr Wilson stated that the reconfiguration of reablement services was a key part of the council’s Adult Single Programme. Today’s decision would be to seek approval of a new model of working to ensure better pathways for patients requiring assistance to re-adjust to normal living after leaving hospital, and to free up vital hospital bed spaces.

It was proposed that the Council work with Gloucestershire Care Services as the preferred single lead provider for the reconfiguration and expansion of the home based components of the reablement service, including the establishment of a Home First offer to support patients discharge from hospital. Cllr Wilson explained that the Home First offer formed part of the whole reablement offer which, under the requirements of the Care Act 2014, needed to be completed within 6 weeks of discharge from hospital.   

The decision also sought approval for the implementation of additional staffing for Home First, (at no extra cost), achieved via the deployment of existing personnel in conjunction with Gloucestershire Care Services, and the creation of ring based beds in existing units across the County.

Cllr Wilson advised members that the proposal would assist in ensuring better use of council expenditure and help generate savings within Adult Social Care Services.  

Having considered all of the information, including known proposals, alternative options and reasons for recommendations, Cabinet noted the report and,

RESOLVED to authorise:

1.    The Director of Integration, in consultation with the Cabinet Members for Adult Social Care Commissioning and Adult Social Care Delivery, to work with Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust (GCS) as the preferred single lead provider in reconfiguring and expanding the Home Based components of the Reablement Service; including the establishment of a Home First offer that supports discharge from hospital.

2.    The continued utilisation of Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) employed reablement workers (currently managed by GCS under existing Section 113 arrangements) as the core staff that will deliver the higher levels of home-based reablement activity including the proposed new Home First service.

3.    The implementation of additional staffing capacity to deliver the Home-Based activity described in paragraph 1 of the published decision report, to be achieved through recruitment to currently established GCC roles (with potential additional capacity to be commissioned by GCS under Lead Provider arrangements).

4.    To adopt the Enhanced Independence Offer Operating Model outlined in section 3.3 of the published decision report (‘the Model) to enable people to remain independent for longer in their own homes.  This will enable the reconfiguration of short-term bed capacity, under existing contracts with third party suppliers, into ring fenced units that will provide capacity across the County. This will be optimised for the predicted reduction in reablement and assessment activity as more people receive support at home. Provision at Great Western Court will continue alongside the Enhanced Independence Offer Operating Model outlined in section 3.3 of the report (the “Model”).

5.    The targeting of existing GCC reablement services and funding in support of the proposed Model, whilst noting that the final configuration of reablement services will be determined by the Joint Commissioning Partnership Board, once NHS as well as GCC’s Adult Social Care demand and benefits are taken into account.