1. That the Council continues to make home care provision, at least at its current level, utilising both in-house and private suppliers.

Tameside will continue to make provision for Home Care using both in-house and independent providers. Budget pressures and the review of priority categories are likely to lead to reduced hours purchased in the coming year.

Steph Butterworth

2003-2004

2. That Social Services make efforts to ensure the service provided to all service users is of the same high standard.

The improvement of quality of home care services of both in-house and independent providers is a part of the Business Plan for 2003/04.

Steph Butterworth

David Jones

2003 - 2004

3. That Social Services is clear about the value and role of its in-house service and that future changes are managed.

The in-house service has an important role in the local market. It is currently engaged in a programme to develop a more rehabilitative approach. This is being project managed.

Steph Butterworth

4. That once financial assessments have been completed, the results should be communicated to service users as speedily and clearly as possible.

Revised approaches to financial assessment will be implemented by June 2003 and reviewed at half year.

Steph Butterworth

David Jones

June 2003

5. That the Council commits to continuing the highly valued services it provides to carers through the Carers Centre.

Social Services is committed to the Carers' Centre which will be reviewed in partnership with the stakeholders.

David Jones

July 2003

6. That the Council looks to extend its support services to carers.

Increased Carers Grant will allow for more direct support and Social Services has target of undertaking more carer's assessments.

Steph Butterworth

David Jones

7. That the Panel recommends Social Services continues to support the Young Carers Project and looks to ways in which to extend its services.

Additional resource available from Childrens Fund and increase in Carers Grant for 2003/04 will mean increase in availability of service to young carers and some capacity to return to developmental aspects of Young Carers Project.

J Whiteside

Carolyn Brierley

8. That consideration be given to the development of young carers' services.

9. The Panel recommends that consideration be given to ways of identifying more young carers.

10. The Panel recommends that Social services staff are fully trained to consider the issues facing young carers so that they may identify young carers and refer to the young carers' project. Furthermore, the Panel requests assurance that social workers consider "whole family assessments" involving the young carer wherever appropriate.

All assessments in adults and children's services are intended to be "whole family" assessments. Assessment framework includes the dimensions of Child's Needs, Parenting Capacity and Family and Environmental factors.

Additionally Carers Assessments are intended to include the carers issues.

Annie Dodd

Steph Butterworth

2003-2004

11. That all home care workers are trained to understand the needs of young carers.

This could be built into the in-house training programme and raised with the training consortium.

Steve Wills

2003-2004

12. That the Carers' Grant continues to be supported and used for innovative ways of supporting carers.

The Carers Grant allocation has been increased for 2003/04 allowing for increased support.

Steph Butterworth

May 2003

13. That the Carers Council be represented at the providers meetings and that consideration be given to ways of mediating between or facilitating the Cares Council and independent providers to meet and discuss home care issues.

The liaison and quality improvement arrangements with the independent sector are being redesigned and carer representation can be built in.

Eddie Francis

May 2003

14. That consideration be given to the provision of a simple, single page bimonthly newssheet as a useful means of communication for both carers and providers.

This will be discussed at the liaison Meeting and could be incorporated into the current carers Newsletter.

Ray Slamon

Eddie Francis

May 2003

15. That consideration be given to methods of involving independent providers throughout the care planning process to the benefit of service users and carers.

Will consider as part of the redesign of care management/review process and in liaison meetings with providers.

Steph Butterworth

Eddie Francis

May 2003

16. That, when the opportunity arises, payments to independent providers should be increased in order to make home care work more attractive.

Increased fee levels have been approved by the Cabinet Deputy with a condition of minimum wage levels for Home Care staff. Further above inflation increases have been agreed for 2004-05 and 2005-06.

David Jones

April 2003

17. Elementary procedures are essential to contract monitoring like provider meetings and contract monitoring reports must continue to take place.

Contract monitoring procedures will be maintained and improved with reports to the Director of Social Services twice a year.

David Jones

Martin Garnett

May 2003

18. That the Panel recommends that all the crucial elements to contract monitoring raised by the Audit Report are monitored.

The issues arising from the Audit report will be included in the report to the Director.

Eddie Francis

Martin Garnett

May 2003

19. That Social Services develops a means of contract monitoring that allows clear differentiation and grading between providers in terms of quality. This should highlight best practice. In particular, one way of doing this may be to involve service users and their judgement of whether or not the contract is being met.

An agreed condition of increased fees is that providers work with the Council on improving quality. Discussions about how to implement this are planned. The national standards provide a benchmark for this work. It is possible to involve users in this process.

Eddie Francis

Martin Garnett

May 2003

20. That the Panel recommends that Planning, Contracting and Commissioning continue to take the lead in contract monitoring and considers ways of incorporating providers own methods in the process.

As indicated plans have been made for this discussion to happen and initial indications from providers are positive. Operational Managers will also need to be included.

Eddie Francis

Martin Garnett

May 2003

21. That the authority continues to work with the independent sector and Tameside College to improve training standards and that contract monitoring includes the level of training given to staff with minimum requirement specified in contracts.

Support for the Training Consortium post has been confirmed for 2003-2004 and further work is planned.

Eddie Francis

2003-2004

22. That Social services contract monitoring system should also include all failures or breakdown in service delivery, from either the in-house provider unit or independent providers.

Reports on quality from both in-house and independent providers will be available. A greater level of co-ordination of information will be a priority.

Eddie Francis

Martin Garnett

Steve Wills

May 2003 and November 2003

23. That further consideration be given to the level of payments to independent providers and the consequences of not increasing payments if new standards are introduced.

As indicated at Recommendation 16, significant increases have been agreed and will be available from April 2003.

David Jones

April 2003