Issue - meetings

To pre-scrutinise proposal for closure of Orchard Close Respite Service (Hayling Island), prior to decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health at her decision day on Wednesday 27 February at 2:00pm.

Representatives of Adults Health and Care provided a report and supporting

presentation regarding findings from the consultation and recommendations on respite services at Orchard Close, Hayling Island, due for consideration by the Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Health at her 27 February 2019 Decision Day. (see Item 5 in the Minute Book). The Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee was invited to scrutinise the proposals prior to the Executive Member’s decision, and provide recommendations to the Executive Member about the proposals.

Members heard that:

·         It was proposed to close the respite service at Orchard Close, Hayling Island. Orchard Close is a 13 bed respite unit, primarily for adults with learning disabilities on Hayling Island?.

·         The proposals related to the provision of the service from the building, and not the building itself which is subject to a charitable trust

·         According to the proposals, carers and service users currently using Orchard Close would receive the same amount of respite they currently did. Analysis showed there is sufficient capacity available to accommodate their needs in the County Council’s other respite services. The other sites were purpose built modern facilities

• That there were three HCC respite facilities in addition to Orchard Close and all of them provided better access for people with more severe needs. Severe needs would include people with learning disabilities who needed support with epilepsy, personal care, people with challenging behaviour and other needs in comparison to Orchard Close which was restricted due to its layout and design.

·         Consultation had been undertaken on the proposals, and the responses to the consultation and the concerns raised were acknowledged.

·         The proposals had been amended in response to the feedback received, including the proposal to put in extra support for service users and carers to assist with their transition to alternative services

·         It was proposed that the unit not be closed until January 2020 to allow time for transition to alternative services

·         Modelling had been done to assess capacity in the remaining units to accommodate the demand currently fulfilled at Orchard Close. This had shown that it was possible to accommodate this demand, including to provide all service users one week of respite provision over the summer period

·         It was explained that the alternative ways to make savings suggested through the consultation had either already been explored or were not viable

·         It was the view of the officers managing this service area that making this saving from other parts of the learning disability budget would have a more negative impact on service users than the impact of the proposed closure

·         The Council’s agreed budget strategy was to distribute savings proportionally based on expenditure

In response to questions, Members further heard that:

·         The statutory responsibility was to provide respite, there was no statutory responsibility to provide holidays for these service users

·         The cost of updating Orchard Close to provide services suitable for complex needs was prohibitive compared to building the other sites

·         Options for use of the building if the service  ...  view the full minutes text for item 111