Live @ReadingCouncil Adult Social Care, Children's Services and Education committee.
Cllr Ruth McEwan has become chair of the committee. Cllr Liam Challenger has become deputy leader of the committee.
Cllr Ruth McEwan has become chair of the committee. Cllr Liam Challenger has become deputy leader of the committee.
@ReadingCouncil Cllr White asks for update on plans to continue to deliver services in east Reading during Sun Street children centre's six month closure for refurbishment.
@ReadingCouncil Cllr Terry says the services will be delivered from Central Library. 1-1 services will be carried out in family homes with activity sessions at the warehouse and Wycliffe Church.
@ReadingCouncil Next up a presentation from the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care System (mouthful). Read more about planned changes to healthcare here: readingchronicle.co.uk/news/17983611.…
@ReadingCouncil Fiona Wise, lead for the BOB ICS, says there is one accountable officer for Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire but not for the whole area. Proposal to have one chief officer for the three areas.
@ReadingCouncil "A single accountable officer" for Berks West, Bucks and Oxfordshire.
@ReadingCouncil Ambulance service and access to 111 are already commissioned across the BOB area. Ms Wise says not everything would be commissioned across the whole area - picks out pharmacy and specialist services as possible areas that could be shared.
@ReadingCouncil Ms Wise: "We are very clear we want local decision-making to take place". Want to give more authority to local healthcare partnerships.
@ReadingCouncil Ms Wise says the bigger question is whether to merge the three CCGs - says there is a strong national expectation of reducing the number of CCGs
@ReadingCouncil Cllr Graeme Hoskin says this is about NHS chief Simon Stevens taking control. "This movement is a bad idea...but you've got to deal with the world that is in front of you." - Asks how can this be done in the best way to suit Reading. Questions what happens to the budget control?
@ReadingCouncil Cllr Hoskin adds: "I would love for this to go away and not happen" but accepts it is already underway. Asks how devolution can be embedded?
@ReadingCouncil Cllr Tony Jones says he sees this document as a desktop exercise, rearranging the desks at the top rather than ensuring we have enough people at hospitals. Says it is important but is on the way to "boring people to death"
@ReadingCouncil Says "we have come back to almost the same position but with different names attached." Questions what the new system will offer that the current one doesn't.
@ReadingCouncil Ms Wise says this is a genuine intention to have a dialogue. Says they are looking to consider what is really important to partners. Ms Wise says strategic levels needs to be informed by local views. She says they are trying to address people's concerns.
@ReadingCouncil Cathy Winfield, officer at Berkshire West CCG, says "we have put ourselves in a strong position" by developing the integrated care partnership in Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire ahead of others.
@ReadingCouncil Cllr Gul Khan says "I don't know what we are here for" if the decision is already decided. Ms Wise says "it needs to be informed by what matters to people". Says there is a steer towards having one CCG for the three areas but the engagement is "really helpful" in devising that
@ReadingCouncil Cllr Meri O'Connell questions is it a £2bn national change to deliver a similar system to one that didn't work? Ms Wise says they are required to reduce costs by 20 per cent. Says "we believe to protect local services it would be better to do a two-tiered approach".
@ReadingCouncil Ms Wise says "I have about 4 members of staff and we can't manage" with current levels - currently the ICS is funded with £800k overheads
@ReadingCouncil Report from @BFfC_Child shows exclusion rates have almost halved in last 3 years.
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Kate Reynolds, director for education at BFfC says "we are very proud of the dramatic reduction of exclusions in secondary schools...we think one of the reasons for that is the therapeutic approach...I think the decline is fundamental to what we want to do."
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Cllr Ashley Pearce says "we have done lots of good work and we are on the path to doing even better"
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Cllr White questions why there is no environmental impact on the reports at this committee - says none this evening despite climate emergency promise
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Only 5 schools in Reading not taking part in council's therapeutic approach with 2 of those having their own approach. Cllr Grashoff questions why "nothing is coming back to parents about the therapeutic approach". BFFC officer says it is about schools leading on this.
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Report on complaints in adult social care. Cllr Tony Jones says corporate complaints have gone up from 7 to 9 - urges cllrs to bare in mind that ASC has hundreds of interventions every week. Says this increase is relatively small.
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Cllr Isobel Ballsdon says such a low rate of complaints is excellent but says the report should've included details of local government ombudsman report from last year where an elderly lady died. Says the council should be more open.
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Cllr Jones says that case was discussed at the committee and he made a public apology. "We are not trying to hide anything."
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Cllr Simon Robinson praises "fantastic" adult social care department for help care for some of his neighbours
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Report on drug and alcohol services. Says 10-11 people a year die from drugs in Reading. Cllr White asks what targets there are to reduce this?
@ReadingCouncil @BFfC_Child Officer says there is an increased potency in the market and riskier drug taking behaviour. Says when numbers are so small it is hard to put a meaningful target. Says it can be hard to draw straight line between actions and outcomes.
