Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hannah Hockaday, Phil Smith (away) and Alistair Thompson.

Apologies were also received from Marie Edwards, Service Manager, Hospital and Health Services, Adult Social Care.

There were no declarations of interest.

RECOMMENDED that a vice-chair be appointed for the municipal year.

The decision to appoint a vice-chair was deferred to the September meeting.

A copy of the minutes of the Housing and Social Care Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 28 March 2014 are attached.

RECOMMENDED that the minutes of the Housing and Social Care Scrutiny Panel meeting held on 28 March 2014 be confirmed and signed by the chair as a correct record.

The minutes of the Housing and Social Care Scrutiny Panel meetings held on 18 and 24 February 2014 were agreed as a correct record. It was also agreed that Councillor Phil Smith would sign the minutes at his convenience.

To consider the review to date and discuss the way forward for the current review of hospital discharge arrangements.

Nigel Selley (the Housing Manager), Nigel Baldwin (Accommodation and Enabling Manager) and Peter Roberts (Communities Engagement Officer) were also in attendance.

The scoping document, all minutes relating to this review and a list of witnesses who have given evidence, were circulated to members prior to the meeting.

Councillor Sanders explained that he was very keen to involve members of the public with regards to seeking their views on their individual experiences relating to discharge from hospital as part of the current review. Peter Roberts added that an online survey could be published, with a 6-week window, via the council's website. The carers service and Healthwatch could also promote the survey to let as many people as possible know that the survey is out there. Paper surveys could also be undertaken and promoted through various key groups. Councillor Sanders was keen for the survey to run throughout August and into early September so that a report back could be taken to the September meeting.

Nigel Selley reported that he could provide a housing officer for a concentrated 2-week period to work alongside the 'day-after-discharge' ("dad") team if the panel felt that that would be useful in terms of collecting some valuable patient experiences. The data could be analysed with the exceptions being identified, with a view to questioning them about what went wrong for them. It would also be a useful experience in terms of gathering information with regards to immediate and/or temporary housing needs/requirements for discharged patients. Nigel agreed to contact the 'dad' team.

Members fully supported this two-pronged way forward.

Topics for future reviews were discussed which included; Integration of Mental Health Services, 'Isolation and Loneliness' and Private and Rented Housing.  Members agreed to take forward 'support services for living in isolation' as their next topic, subject to the agreement of the Scrutiny Management Panel.

The panel also agreed to run a range of meetings that would include a ½ half day 'conference' for this topic.

It was agreed that Lucy would arrange the date of the next meeting for some time in September to avoid all party conference dates.