Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Head of Individual Commissioning, Adult Services.

Alison McCudden, Commissioning Manager (Income Maximisation), attended to present on progress made on a programme approved by Cabinet on 14 March 2011 to move away from Strategically Commissioned Adult Transport provision over 2011/12 and 2012/13. She noted that there was recognition that a small element of strategically commissioned transport for those individuals who could not be supported by alternative transport options would need to be retained. She reported that Cabinet and the Adult Services Portfolio Holder had requested a phased approach to the transport strategy in order to provide proof of concept with viable market alternatives before implementing a full scale roll out.

As a result, the programme had been implemented for approximately 200 service users in the Crewe and Nantwich area firstly. Alison McCudden explained that this area had been chosen because it had the greatest amount of transportation; it was densely populated and had the greatest opportunity for market development. She continued to outline how alternative transport had been provided for these service users, with the main aim being to establish a mixed economy where people had choice and a number of appropriate options available to them. This included the use of dial-a-ride, shared taxis and more specialist vehicles. Alison McCudden made it clear that service users would only be moved to alternative transport if the service felt that the means met that person’s transport needs as well as, if not better than their previous service. If that alternative was not available, adult services would continue to commission a Council service.

Alison McCudden made the final point that the service were now assessing service users in the Macclesfield and Wilmslow areas and that they aimed to roll out the programme to these residents by March 2012.

A comment was made that it was important to encourage people to use dial-a-ride as this often helped service users and their carers’ access care facilities which often had limited car parking. It was questioned therefore whether dial-a-ride would transport the carer as well as the service user as the presence of a carer was vital for people suffering with dementia for example. Alison McCudden acknowledged the point and confirmed that she would feed this back to dial-a-ride.

A query was made with regard to the nine Macon House service users who had high and complex needs. It was questioned that if the service had yet to negotiate alternative provision, how were the service users being transported. Alison McCudden reported that the service had and would continue to commission a Council service until an appropriate alternative could be found.

Clarification was sought as to whether taxi drivers had the adequate training to transport service users. Alison McCudden confirmed that all taxi drivers had an enhanced CRB. In terms of taxi use it was also queried whether rural communities were more dependent on taxis over other forms of transport. Alison McCudden explained that this analysis had yet to be completed and reassured the Committee that not one service user would be left without  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37