Agenda item

6.1

The Committee received an update on the current position regarding the Birch Avenue and Woodland View Care Homes, and in attendance for this item was Tim Furness, Chief of Business, Planning and Partnerships, NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

6.2

Roger Bolsover, relative of a resident in Woodland View, expressed his concerns with regard to the lack of staff in the cottages at Woodland View, as well as the high number of temporary staff. 

6.3

Tim Furness stated that he accepted that staffing at Woodland View  remained an issue and that he would be seeking assurances from Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust that the Trust would take the necessary action to resolve the issues at the earliest possible opportunity.

6.4

Members of the Committee and representatives of LINk raised questions and the following responses were provided:-

·               Further to the recommendations of this Committee relating to the views that, following the operation of the Care Homes by the South Yorkshire Housing Association (Birch Avenue) and the Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust (Woodland View), the Care Homes would become Centres of Excellence, it had been determined that, whilst the model of care was different to that at other care homes, the Primary Care Trust (PCT) had not commissioned the Homes to be Centres of Excellence on the grounds of affordability, for example, regarding the cost of staff training other homes. It was expected that the Foundation Trust would continue sharing best practice, but it was important that the new role of the Homes was firmly “bedded in” before offering to share best practice. 

·               Although the Foundation Trust only took over the operation of Woodland View with effect from 1^st July 2012, it had been hoped that a Manager would have been appointed by now, and Tim Furness would seek assurances from the Trust that a Manager would be in post as soon as possible. 

6.5

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)      notes the contents of the report now submitted, together with the information now reported and the responses to the questions raised; and

(b)      requests the Scrutiny Policy Officer to make arrangements for a visit by Members of the Committee and representatives of LINk to Birch Avenue and Woodland View, and agrees that further discussions on the proposals regarding the Care Homes becoming Centres of Excellence, take place following the visit.