Agenda item

To receive an update on Healthwatch report regarding Carers in Wokingham Borough

The Committee received an update on the response to the report from Healthwatch Wokingham Borough regarding carers.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·       In 2020/21 Healthwatch Wokingham surveyed unpaid carers about their experiences of caring during the pandemic.  89 carers had completed the survey.  As of the last census there were approximately 14,000 carers within the Borough.

·       Top concerns raised included –

Ø  Decline of person being cared for either physically or mentally, during lockdown.  Some had reported those with dementia had found it difficult to understand the restrictions.

Ø  Workload and lack of time out: 78% said the hours of care they provided had increased, 70% hadn’t been able to get regular breaks.

Ø  Carer wellbeing, notably a negative impact on their: mental health (84%) physical health (62%), family wellbeing (73%)

·       One positive was that many carers had found it easier to get access to food and medication as result of the Wokingham community response, coordinated by the One Front Door.

·       Direct payment recipients had reported delays and Council inflexibility, which was being addressed by a Direct Payments review.

·       2 out of 3 respondents were not aware of their rights as a carer, 30% did not know what a carer’s assessment was and 40% were not registered as being a carer with their GP.

·       The Council had reviewed the report’s recommendations –

Ø  Identify hidden carers – this aligned with Priority 1 of the Council’s Carer’s Strategy ‘Identifying and recognising carers’ and it was important thatseldom heard and hidden carers were included in that.  A Keeping in Touch project had been commissioned and would run for 12 months.  In addition, a data validity exercise would be undertaken to make sure the Council was aware of who all the carers were and to update if the person being cared for had sadly passed away.

Ø  Improve GP surgery support – this was being undertaken through integration work with the Primary Care Networks, including ensuring that there was a link of GP websites which linked to uptodate information for carers.

Ø  Increase information and support to known carers – A co-production customer engagement toolkit was being developed which would enable greater engagement of carers.  Current and former carers had given their input on the service during the retendering process.  In addition, the Community Directory was being reviewed and Project Joy, an online platform allowing service users to connect with services, was being recommissioned.  TuVida would be undertaking Care Act training and service improvement plan.

Ø  Continue what worked well during the Covid period – this linked with all 4 priorities in the Carers Strategy.  A review was being undertaken of the Council’s community response.  The Council had been engaging in welfare calls to carers (approximately 1000 in January) and this would continue

Ø  WBC to publish written guidance for direct payment recipients who cannot spend their payments normally - A review would be undertaken on Direct Payments arrangements within Adult Social Care, to strengthen current practice.  One of the workstreams in the Carers Strategy would also focus on this.

Ø  Prioritise provision and take up of respite options - No action required as respite was already considered in care planning following assessments and carers’ assessments.  Consideration had been given as to how the respite services were structured.

Ø  Clinical Commissioning Group to consider updates to carers information on GP websites – work was being undertaken with the CCG.

Ø  End disparity between number of carers registered with GP and number registered with WBC - Incorporated within ongoing data validity work.

·       Members commented that carers needed to feel safe, valued, and supported, and questioned what the biggest challenge was to the implementation of the report’s recommendations.  Pamela Iyer, Senior Commissioner, commented that from a commissioning view, how the commissioned provider worked on the ground.  The Council was looking how the providers were working with the voluntary sector throughout the Borough, and at statistical neighbours and whether what the Council paid for the services was fair, reasonable, and equitable.  Identifying who was a carer could also be difficult.  Simon Broad added that he wanted carers to understand their rights as carers and where they could go to ask for help.  Lewis Willing indicated that carers was hopefully going to form one of the priorities of the Integration Board this year, subject to agreement.  It was important to provide a good offer to encourage people to sign up as carers.

·       Simon Broad commented that carers had a lot to offer, and he would like to see them contribute to the shaping of policy and co-production.

·       Jim Stockley stated that Healthwatch recognised the Council’s reaction to the report and positive steps were being taken by the Council and the CCG to make improvements.

RESOLVED: That

1)    the update on the response to the report from Healthwatch Wokingham Borough regarding carers be noted.

2)    Pamela Iyer, Lewis Willing and Simon Broad be thanked for their presentation.