Agenda and draft minutes

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the Major Contracts Governance Group.

Minute of the Meeting of the Limited Liability Partnership Strategic Governance Group held on 19 September 2017 to be noted.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the meeting of the Limited Liability Partnership Strategic Governance Group of 19 September 2017. 

DECISION

NOTED the Minute for signature by the Chairman.

Presentation by Finance and Commercial Director and Operations Director on progress of SB Cares (Copy attached.)

            There had been circulated copies of a presentation by SB Cares providing background to the organisation, the progress made and future goals and targets.  Members were advised that SBC Cares had been set up in April 2015 to ensure: continuation of publically owned services to the people of the Borders in the most efficient way; support for the implementation of Self Directed Support; the continuation of service capacity and quality; more effective use of staff resources; more efficient and flexible services to meet the needs of users; the generation of a surplus that contributed to overall social care resources; the continuation of a service of last resort provision.  SB Cares was currently the largest provider of adult social care in the Scottish Borders who delivered a range of services within the community.  The presentation gave an awareness of the scale of provision of SB Cares and provided detail of SB Cares’ operating context and outlined where efficiencies had been made.  The presentation also detailed projects for future development.  SB Cares continued to work to improve the grades awarded by the Care Inspectorate.   Discussion followed and Members questions were answered.

DECISION

NOTED the presentation.

Consider report by Finance and Commercial Director on SB Cares Management Accounts as at 30 September 2017.  (Copy attached.)

            There had been circulated copies of a report by the Finance and Commercial Director SB Cares updating Members on the financial position as at 30 September 2017.  The Appendix to the report included details of the year to date spend against budget and against the previous year spend for both income and expenditure; the year to date spend by service heading; the balance sheet for the period; and the projected cash flow at 31 March 2018.  Ms McPhail advised that a surplus of £286k was being reported for the six month period, as opposed to the anticipated surplus £208k and she went on to highlight some of the key elements of the current financial position.  The income from Bordercare Alarms had held up well following the price increase for the service agreed by Council in December 2016, with the number of cancelled alarms being lower than expected.  The price had been mitigated by publicising widely the availability of VAT exemption for clients suffering from certain chronic illnesses.  A shortfall was reported against Spot Contract Income within Homecare which was due in part to reporting issues within the CM2000 reporting system.  Bordercare Alarm income had dropped slightly by £13k due to the loss of contracts with two Residential Social Landlords.  Members were advised that the forecast budget position of £411k surplus was still on target and regular updates would be presented to the Major Contracts Governance Group.  With reference to salary scales and pay rises, Members were informed that staff employed by SB Cares were subject to the same Terms and Conditions as SBC employees and pay increases of 1% had been budgeted for.  In response to a question from Members, Ms McPhail advised that a report was being presented to Full Council in November 2017 in respect of the Bordercare Service.

            DECISION

            NOTED the contents of the report and the actions described to manage budgetary pressures.

Consider update report by SB Cares Operations Director on Inspections by the Care Inspectorate.  (Copy attached.)

            With reference to paragraph 5 of the Minute of 19 September 2017, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Operations Director SB Cares giving the updated position on the inspection of SB Care services by the Care Inspectorate.  Members were advised that since the last report in June 2017, a number of inspections had taken place.  The final report for the Hawick Community Support Service had been received and the areas inspected all received a Grade 5.  The draft report for the first inspection of the South Area Home Care service awarded grade3 for the areas inspected.  This was a reflection of the lack of staff working in the service which affected the ability of managers to carry out their managerial role.  Reports are awaited for Waverley Care Home and Grove Care Home.  Discussion followed and Mr Cathrow reported that work was being progressed and recruitment events were taking place to address the lower than expected grades awarded in the inspection of Home Care in Hawick.  Further details in respect of all inspections were included in Appendix 1 to the report.

            DECISION

(a)       NOTED:-

          (i)         the final report for the Hawick Community Support service;

        (ii)        the draft report for the Home Care South area;

(iii)          the recent inspections on Waverley Care Home and Grove Care Home;

(iv)         the improved grades since the transfer to SB Cares as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

Consider update report by SB Cares Finance & Commercial Director on progress with Implementation of Internal Audit Recommendations.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Finance and Commercial Director of SBC Cares on the progress made by the Senior Management Team on implementation of Internal Audit recommendations made and agreed within the SB Cares Internal Audit Annual Report 2016/17 as detailed in Appendix 2.  The report explained that Internal Audit was an independent appraisal function for the review of the internal control system as a service to SB Cares and objectively examined, evaluated and reported on the adequacy on internal control as part of the proper, economic, efficient and effective use of resources and the management of risk.  Members noted that some completion dates had been revised as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.  Ms McPhail advised that SB Cares used a financial system other than Business World and this had caused some delays.  It was agreed that future reports would include a ratio analysis to enable comparisons as appropriate.

DECISION

NOTED the report and Appendices.

Consider update report by SB Cares Operations Director on New Services currently being developed.  (Copy attached.)

7.1       There had been circulated copies of a report by the Operations Director providing an update on the new services currently being developed by SB Cares.  Work was progressing to open a Discharge to Assess Unit at Craw Wood Care Home in Tweedbank in an effort to mitigate some of the anticipated winter pressures on NHS in-patient beds.  There was a very short timescale attached to this undertaking and GMR Care Consultancy would lead on the setting up and opening of this service.

7.2       A Health Care Support Workers Project for the Tweeddale area was originally considered in September 2016.  Once recruited, these Health Care Support Workers would support the rapid discharge from hospital for those waiting for Home Care in specified areas of the Scottish Borders.  For a variety of reasons, there was a delay in recruiting staff but this is now in progress, with outstanding governance issues being addressed. 

7.3       The Coldstream Community Model (previously referred to as Buurtzorg) has made slow practical progress for a variety of reasons however Members were advised that an update report was being presented to the Integration Joint Board, requesting project management support to take this work forward.  Further information was included in Appendix 1 to the report.

7.4       A proposal for SB Cares Enablement Service had been submitted to Social Work and once the model and funding had been approved, detail would be developed and progress would continue towards implementation of the model within the Home Care service.

            DECISION

            NOTED:-

            (a)     the request to open the Discharge to Assess Unit;

            (b)     the ongoing collaboration with NHS/SBC on the new Home Care models; and

            (c)     the Enablement proposal being presented to EMT for approval.

            MEMBER

            Councillor Miers left the meeting at the conclusion of the above item of business.

Consider update report by SB Cares Finance and Commercial Director on the Context around Risk Register and current status and mitigating actions.  (Copy attached.)

            There had been circulated copies of a report by the Finance and Commercial Director providing an update on the SB Cares Risk Register, its current status as at October 2017 and mitigating actions being taken by the Management Team.  Updated reports on the Risk Register would be presented to the Major Contracts Governance Group on a quarterly basis.  The report indicated that the number of risks which had previously been graded as “critical” in May had now been reduced from eight to four.

            DECISION

            NOTED the report.

            Members were asked to consider a schedule of dates for future meetings of the Major Contracts Governance Group and following discussion, agreed that the meetings would take place at 2.00pm on the following dates –

            Tuesday 6 March 2018; and

            Tuesday 5 June 2018.

            DECISION

            NOTED the dates for future meetings.

            On behalf of the Members, the Chairman congratulated SB Cares on the achievements and progress the organisation had made since its inception.    

DECISION

            AGREED under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the business contained in the following items on the ground that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraphs 6 and 8 of the part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Act.

SUMMARY OF PRIVATE BUSINESS

Private section of the Minute of the Meeting of the Limited Liability Partnership Strategic Governance Group held on 19 September 2017 to be noted.  (Copy attached.) 

Members considered the Private Section of the Minute of the Limited Liability Partnership Strategic Governance Group of 19 September 2017.

Consider private section of the Minute of Meeting of 14 August 2017. (Copy attached.)

Members considered the Private Section of the Minute of the Trading Operations Sub-Committee of 14 August 2017.

Consider report by Chief Officer Roads.  (Copy attached.)

            Members considered the update report.