Agenda item

David Hare asked the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Services the following question:

Minutes:

 

Question

Carers give excellent value for money and we need to ensure they are getting the support they need.  If the aspirations of the Carers’ Policy are met is the budget going to be sufficient for the increased demand that there will be?   I believe we all want to ensure we support this very important resource, one of many modes of support is to ensure that money follows an increased and improved service.

 

Answer

Wokingham Borough Council values the vital contribution that carers make to their local communities, particularly in these unprecedented times.  We have 14,000 carers in Wokingham according to the last survey.  We are fully aware of the pressures carers are under and since the pandemic part of our service has been to carry out welfare checks on our carers to ensure they have access to food, medication but also emotional support by linking them up with services in the Borough.

 

The Carers’ Strategy gives direction as to how we will improve services for carers by fostering a more joined up approach across Adult Social Care and with our voluntary sector partners.  Our Voluntary Sector Strategy and investment in that sector supports our carers.

 

Our aspirations for our carers will be realised by:

 

·         a commitment to proactively work with the voluntary sector in developing joined up community prevention services;

  • ensuring our duties continue to be met by the Care Act, this includes offering assessments for both the carer and cared for and where there is an eligible need  ensuring services are in place to meet that need;
  • continuing to support carers financially and emotionally through direct payments, commissioned home care, day services and respite for them.

 

In 2019/20 WBC spent the following to support carers:

 

  • on the Carers’ budget direct to the voluntary sector and for Dementia Care Advisors:£347,000;
  • respite care
    • £516,000 for learning disability;
    • £12,000 for mental health;
    • £133,000 for older people;
    • £60,000 for people with physical disabilities; and
  • direct payments to carers for their own needs: £56,000

 

We will continue to fund these needs defined by the Care Act.  We are increasing our overall spend on carers in line with the Medium Term Financial Plan.  There is funding to invest in the voluntary sector, including support for carers, as per our Strategy.  There is funding to meet the anticipated demand.  It is our expectation that we will fund £400k in 2021/22, £500k in 2022/23 and £600k in 2023/24 to support this.  However obviously we will continue to look at this as it progresses and adjust this if needed.

 

Supplementary Question

You said, obviously, that you will work with voluntary services and Adult Social Care.  How will you interact with the Health Service which is often very important both for the needs of the cared for and for the needs of the carer and make sure that you are working as a unity rather than individually?

 

Supplementary Answer

Yes it is a good question and it is actually a very important thing to do.  Martin Sloan, our AD in Adult Services, regularly meets with the Health Service, all parts of it, to make sure this is all fed in.  He is also responsible for the voluntary sector in Wokingham so there is a natural synergy there.  I obviously have contacts with them as does the DASS, via the local Health and Wellbeing Board.  We will work with them as much as we can because we recognise that the best partnership for residents is them and us working together basically not two separate organisations trying to provide one joined up service.

 

So we are fully committed to maintaining that level of conversation, maintaining that level of discussion and just listening to what they need and making sure we do the best possible thing we can for our residents.