Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Strategic Director of Children, Familes and Adults.

Lynn Glendenning, Commissioning Manager - SP & Contracts, attended to present to the Committee a proposal for the development of a respite service in the Crewe and Nantwich area. Explaining the background to the proposal, Lynn Glendenning, reported that Queens Drive in Nantwich was due to close following the Adult Social Care Services Review as the facility had been deemed not fit for purpose and too costly to adapt. A consultation was held to find a suitable alternative. It had been suggested to offer provision at Mountview in Congleton but some service users had noted this could generate issues around transport.

Following the consultation process, a proposal was put before Cabinet on 5 March 2012 to offer alternative respite provision at a modified self contained unit at Lincoln House, Crewe in addition to Mountview. This proposal was endorsed.

Lynn Glendenning continued to report that after the Cabinet decision, some members of the public had continued to maintain that Lincoln House and Mountview were inadequate alternatives. In respect of Lincoln House, the objections were based upon the idea, perceived by some, that it was a centre for older people and therefore inappropriate for younger service users.

On the 13 May 2012, the service had received a letter from a company called 3L Care who wished to lease an empty property in Haslington to provide respite care. This property had previously been used by Cheshire and Wirral PCT for short term health respite for people with a learning disability and was owned by Cheshire East Council.

A number of discussions were held between the Council and 3L Care regarding the proposal but after it had become clear that the Council would have to tender for the lease to the property, 3L Care decided to seek and source an alternative building in the private sector, which Lynn Glendenning noted they had now done so.

Lucia Scally outlined the next steps in the proposal. She reported that the Council had invited the families that had received services at Queens Drive to meet with 3L Care and then Council officers would have a private discussion with families on their preferences. The result of this process would feed into the final report which was scheduled to go to Cabinet on 20 August 2012.

Councillor Janet Clowes added that the proposal was a good example of carers having a degree of autonomy but the Council needed to be sure that the offer was robust and sustainably financially and most importantly that it would offer high quality care for the service users.

It was queried whether 3L Care had experience of delivering respite care and if so, whether they had been inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Lucia Scally noted that they were a relatively new company but that they did have a site in Cheshire West and Chester which had been cleared by their robust approval framework. It was added that this site was to be expected by the CQC on 1 August 2012.

It was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7