Agenda item
Optalis Update
To receive an update on Optalis.
Minutes:
The Committee received an update on Optalis from David Birch, Chief Executive of Optalis.
During the discussion of this item the following points were made:
· Optalis was the Council’s own Adult Social Care company. It worked closely with the Council’s Adult Social Care Team.
· Matt Pope and Councillor David Hare were Directors of Optalis.
· Optalis was jointly owned by Wokingham Borough Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council.
· The contract had recently been renewed for a further 5 years which gave continuity in provision.
· Optalis’ formal aims were to:
Ø Transform and improve the delivery of adult services
Ø Secure the stability of the workforce
Ø Identify and deliver opportunities for joint commissioning
· David Birch highlighted the range of services provided to residents including day services for residents with learning disabilities and with physical disabilities, extra care services, residential care, and supported employment services.
· Members were informed that services continued to run well. However, a current spike in Covid was creating some pressure on service delivery.
· In terms of the last 3 years, efficiency savings had been consistently delivered. In 2021/22 the budget had been met and additional savings of £184,000 had been delivered to the Council.
· With the support of the Council, staff were paid at the rate of the National Living Wage or above in 2022/23.
· David Birch stated that it was anticipated that the next few years would be increasingly challenging from a financial perspective, primarily because of the impact of the rising cost of living on the recruitment and retention of care staff. Use of agency staff was expensive, and work was being undertaken to minimise this in a very difficult employment market.
· Optalis was supporting the Council by taking on at least 10 new and existing services across the Borough, covering a wide variety of different care needs. This expansion had been made possible by the Council’s investment in a new Peripatetic Team which had given capacity to expand, and initiative new service as required.
· Members were informed of the new Learning Disability and Mental Health services at Hatch Farm in Winnersh. Feedback from customers and their social workers had been very positive.
· The respite service at Loddon Court in Earley had recently transferred from the previous provider Dimensions to Optalis.
· David Birch provided an update on how existing services were being improved.
· Capacity and productivity enhancements were planned for the START team, to support residents where reablement would give them a higher quality of life than they would receive through traditional care packages.
· Optalis had relaunched its Day Services for those with physical and learning disabilities, under the Community Lives brand. The pandemic had shown how much residents and their families had valued the services and the difficulties that they had experienced when they had been unavailable. There had been increasing demand for a wider range of more innovative activities taking place across and within the local community, instead of traditional buildings-based services. Optalis was therefore working with the Council to develop an enhanced range of services.
· Members were informed of the Ability Travel Service. Wokingham was the number one Council in the South East for this service in terms of outcomes for service users, and second nationally.
· Other opportunities that were being worked on were highlighted.
· Members asked about the impact of Covid on staffing levels. David Birch responded that there were enough workers to continue to run the services safely, but the situation had been difficult particularly in the last week, as Covid cases had spiked. Optalis was able to draw down on agency staff if required. Many staff were not ill for long periods of time, but the situation was being closely monitored. A Member went on to ask about looking ahead to the autumn period and was informed that Optalis was trying to fill as many vacancies as possible to reduce the reliance of agency staff. The Resourcing Manager had been very active in advertising Optalis, for example to those in vaccination teams in Frimley who were now looking for alternative employment.
· In response to a question as to the impact of Brexit on staffing, David Birch commented that it had been less than anticipated.
· A Member questioned how inflationary pressures would be dealt with; whether it would be through staff budget management, income optimisation, or something else. David Birch commented that the approach taken would be a mixture, making sure that services were not compromised, and that the workforce was stable. Income generation would take place where possible and further efficiencies would be looked for. David Birch referred to the electronic Care Management package which would potentially create further savings. Members were assured that this would not create redundancies.
· In response to a Member question regarding the interaction with Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM), David Birch informed the Committee that operations were kept separate from a financial perspective. However, opportunities were taken to share good practice and ideas.
· A Member noted that paying the National Living Wage had assisted in staff recruitment and retention. He questioned whether there was an increased willingness from other providers to pay the National Living Wage. David Birch stated that as Optalis had taken over services from existing providers, there was a general willingness from existing staff to join Optalis because of its culture and the fact that it paid the National Living Wage. He was not able to comment on other providers. He went on to confirm that it was the Outside London National Living Wage which was sometimes a challenge given the Borough’s proximity to London.
· Members asked whether the new services would be replacing or enhancing existing services, and what the financial impacts would be. David Birch referred to the enhancing of existing services, and in particular to the proposed dementia care home at Toutley. Matt Pope added that one of the strategic aims for Optalis was to help manage the market. Some services would enhance existing services, whilst others were new business cases which had been included in the Medium Term Financial Plan.
· Members asked about the governance structure. Matt Pope indicated that when he had become Director, he had had concerns about the Council’s level of control over Optalis and its direction. The Shareholder Agreement had been redrafted and he was comfortable with the current governance structure.
· In response to a Member question regarding the integration of data into WBC systems and the levels of transparency and accessibility, Matt Pope indicated that the Optalis’ IT sat on the same infrastructure as the Council’s. David Birch added that the Council undertook routine audits to ensure continued quality.
RESOLVED: That the update on Optalis be noted and that David Birch be thanked for his presentation.
Supporting documents: