Decision details

10.1

The Executive Director, Communities submitted a report describing some of the changes needed to modernise the support for people with dementia who live at home, following a three month Involvement Exercise authorised by Cabinet on 23 May, 2012. The purpose of the involvement exercise had been to understand the key issues for people affected by dementia in order to plan support for the future in light of the growing number of people with dementia representing a significant issue for the City and that existing support arrangements will not meet the increase in demand or the changing expectations of people with dementia.

The report summarised the results of the Involvement Exercise, made a number of proposals for the way in which the Council would invest in supporting people with dementia, described how the Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust would further consult on the shape of its services and set out how the identified service savings were to be achieved to meet the Council’s budgetary requirements.

10.2

RESOLVED: That Cabinet:-

(a)

notes the outcome of the Involvement Exercise and, in particular, thanks the Alzheimer’s Society for the production of the report on the views of people with dementia;

(b)

acknowledges in the light of this that support for people with dementia needs to change;

(c)

agrees to consult with people with dementia and their carers on how services can be changed in the light of these findings and to achieve the required savings and asks the Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust to work with the City Council in this consultation exercise.

(d)

agrees that the consultation exercise referred to in (c) above will include consulting on how alternative, and a wider range of support and services, and the increased use of personal budgets could be developed to allow the potential closure of Norbury by the end of March 2013 and Bole Hill View by March 2014.

(e)

grants delegated authority to the Executive Director, Communities to:-

(i)

finalise arrangements for carrying out the consultation exercise referred to in (c) above, including making appropriate arrangements with Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust; and

(ii)

implement such changes to the provision of services for people with dementia as he shall consider appropriate, such authority to be exercised following the conclusion of the consultation exercise and having due regard to its outcome, and in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Health, Care and Independent Living, and further provided that all associated costs are covered by available budgets. 

10.3

Reasons for Decision

10.3.1

The responses to the Involvement Exercise summarised in this report identified some shortcomings in the existing support arrangements for people with dementia and the need for change. It also highlighted practice changes which will help them to live well at home.

10.3.2

The report recognises the need to ensure adequate investment in services to support people with dementia in the early stages and also for those people with complex needs.

10.3.3

In addition, it sets out the requirement to identify savings. It proposes to achieve those savings through exploring the potential to reduce the number of buildings needed to deliver the service whilst maintaining the overall service levels.

10.3.4

It sets out a plan for consultation on these proposals to be undertaken by the Sheffield City Council and Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust.

10.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

10.4.1

In consultation with Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust, the Council considered reducing the level of support across the service but this would have had a significant impact on people with dementia and the people who care for them. Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust undertook an options appraisal on which of the resource centre buildings should be retained which included criteria about the location, suitability for development capacity and the likelihood of achieving the necessary savings. The conclusion was that looking at existing buildings retaining Hurlfield View represented the most viable option.

10.5

Any Interest Declared or Dispensation Granted

None

10.6

Reason for Exemption if Public/Press Excluded During Consideration

None

10.7

Respective Director Responsible for Implementation

Richard Webb, Executive Director, Communities

10.8

Relevant Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee If Decision Called In

Healthier Communities and Adult Social Care