Agenda item

This item provides an update on care homes for older people in the borough.

Julius Olu (Assistant director – Independent living commissioning and partnerships) introduced the item which provided an update on care homes for older people in the borough. Johan Van Wijgerden (Strategic Commissioner) then gave a short presentation on the report.

Councillor Amanda Lloyd-Harris asked if the Council had beds in Chiswick Nursing Centre allocated for residents. Johan Van Wijgerden said there were around 20-30 Council residents in the home, though it generally catered to private residents.

Councillor Lloyd-Harris asked why KYN Hurlingham was on the list of nursing homes given it was unlikely to be used by the Council due to its high cost. Johan Van Wijgerden said the local authority has responsibility for quality assurance in all care homes, whether they place residents in them or not. He noted that officers conducted regular visits and built relationships with the homes so when there were issues, the Council could help put things right quickly.

Jim Grealy said he was impressed by the quality assurance and oversight visits, and it was reassuring for residents. He noted the Council had 230 residents in care homes and asked whether the supply of places met the demand, what the time lag between looking for place and getting one was, and a breakdown of residents in terms of class, gender, and ethnicity. Julius Olu said he would provide this information after the meeting.

ACTION: Julius Olu

Julius Olu noted that demand was greater than supply. Two of the homes in the borough were too expensive for the Council to place residents in. Finding placements took longer with demand pressures.

Katherine Wilmette (Director of Adult Social Care) noted that the timeline for placement depended on the needs of the individual, what was available, and where they wanted to go. Some people moved elsewhere due to family connections, while others chose to stay in the borough.

Lucia Boddington noted that the Council only placed residents in care homes rated ‘good’ but Farm Lane was listed as ‘requires improvement’. She asked if that meant the Council wasn’t placing people there and what steps were being taken to improve the situation. Johan Van Wijgerden said Farm Lane was previously rated as good. The Council’s Quality Assurance team was working closely with the home to rectify the issues raised in the inspection. There was a detailed action plan in place. Only the Care Quality Commission could change the rating, but he said he was confident they would be rated as good if inspected today.

Jim Grealy suggested the care home team submit a response to the ICB’s palliative care consultation. Julius Olu reassured members that officers were engaged in the consultation.

The Chair asked how often the Council’s Quality Assurance team monitored care homes. Johan Van Wijgerden said there were monthly Joint Operational Group visits as well as quarterly announced and unannounced visits. Julius Olu noted that the Care Quality Commission’s latest inspection at Farm Lane took place at 5.30am, so officers had thought about varying the time they visited to ensure care was consistent throughout the day.

The Chair asked how officers were capturing the voices of residents. Johan Van Wijgerden said care homes contractually had to do feedback forms once a year and they also had group meetings. He added that feedback was generally very positive.

Councillor Emma Apthorp asked which local authority had responsibility for residents that moved out of the borough and how the transition was supported. Johan Van Wijgerden said the Council was not responsible for out-of-borough care homes, but did carry out due diligence on them by working with the host authority, speaking to their Quality Assurance teams, and their family to ensure quality care and a smooth transition. The care package would then be reviewed on an annual basis. Katherine Wilmette clarified that the Council retained care responsibility for out of borough residents, but the home was the responsibility of the host borough.

RESOLVED

1. That the Health and Adult Social Care Policy and Accountability noted and commented on the report.