The Executive Member for Adult Social Care will be in
attendance to provide an update on activity within her portfolio area.
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed the Executive Member for Adult Social Care to the meeting and invited her to provide her update.
The Executive Member had been appointed to her position in May 2025 and, as such, had not been in post for a full year. Members were advised that most of what was to be covered in the update could be found in the Executive Member’s updates to Council.
Beginning with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, both the Executive Member and Adult Social Services were happy with the progress made with Adult Social Services having been taken out of monitoring.
The Adult Social Care Vision had been drafted and was scheduled to be considered at the January meeting of Executive. The Executive Member and Adult Social Care Director met regularly, who in turn, met regularly with the CEO of the Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency to understand how the Council and voluntary sector could work collaboratively. It was commented that some work undertaken with the voluntary sector had gone by the wayside.
The Executive Member had undertaken several site visits and spoken to Social Care staff to understand the work they were doing. A Social Work celebration day had been held in the Town Hall Crypt and the Executive Member was pleased to recognise a drama group and some service users from her previous tenure as portfolio holder for Adult Social Care.
Since her previous tenure Adult Social Care portfolio holder, the Executive Member had found services had changed, namely with additional activity. These included sensory loss drop-ins, which had made a big difference to people’s lives. There had also been events for people with learning difficulties and autism.
Adult Social Care was facing challenges, such as efficiency requirements being made at the Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Tees, Esk and Wear Valley (TEWV) and across the Health and Social Care landscape. These changes had knock-on impacts for Adult Social Care services and its relationships with healthcare colleagues.
There was a positive driver around neighbourhood health management, with services becoming localised, rather than centralised in hospitals, which impacted positively on service users. New legislation was being introduced but there was little detail on this.
As part of the Fair Pay Fundin Agreement there had been a national consultation about social workers pay which could filter to all council staff. Members were advised that previously, all Local Authority pay awards were agreed nationally but this was replaced by Job Evaluation processes which were subjective to individual Councils.
Reforms had been introduced with regards to Mental Health Services, and a significant amount of work was being undertaken to accommodate those changes. The changes had increased demand on social care bespoke Community Support Packages, and as such there was a move to allow people to remain in their own homes.
Homelessness and Domestic Abuse services were undergoing service reviews. It was commented that many people accessing services did not want accommodation, and some services users were difficult to house due to challenging behaviours. Increasingly, the Council had to rely on private sector housing. However in cases where damage was done to properties by service users the repair bill fell to the Council. It was suggested this issue could potentially be examined by Scrutiny.
In terms of the Violence Against Women and Girls agenda, the Executive Member had taken on the role of Chair of the Domestic Abuse Strategic Partnership.
Members were also advised that Adult Social Care had achieved its savings targets which had been achieved largely through the project work on Levick Court. In the proposed budget there was some growth for Adult Social Care.
The Chair thanked the Executive Member for her update and invited questions from the Board.
A Member commented that he agreed with the localisation of healthcare services as this made it easier for people without their own transport to access those services.
It was queried if patient transport was available as part of the Adult Social Care offer. It was clarified this could be reassessed as part of the merger between North and South Tees hospitals. The Member further commented that a volunteer driver scheme had operated in this capacity some time ago. It was clarified this was no longer possible as the company that had provided this service had folded. This was being examined to see if a similar service could be reestablished.
A Member asked how the Hospital at Home service was monitored. It was stated this was a national initiative with the aim of preventing people needing to access hospitals. It was also clarified there was oversight from relevant clinicians remotely. However, this was primarily an NHS driven service with limited intervention from Adult Social Care.
A Member queried, that in terms of the budget for Adult Social Care, if there was a possibility of the service being able to operate without reliance on the social care precept which had been introduced in 2015. It was clarified that due to the complexity of services and the increasing demands placed upon them, this was unlikely. However, it was emphasised that the service was operating as efficiently as it could.
It was also discussed, and clarified, that Middlesbrough was a Dementia Friendly town as well as an Age Friendly town. It was also highlighted that many shops that identified as Dementia Friendly were no longer open.
Members were advised that the Staying Put Agency were commended in the DFG Home Adaptation Service of the Year award at the National Health Awards 2025. The Board expressed their thanks to all staff involved.
There were no other questions from the Board.
The Chair thanked the Executive Member for her update and asked the Board to note the information presented.
At this point in the meeting the Executive Member for Adult Social Care and the Director for Adult Social Care withdrew from the meeting.
NOTED.