Minutes:
The Chair invited Sarah Pickup, LGA Deputy Chief Executive, to introduce the item.
Sarah stated that the item was in two parts. Part two of this item would be confidential.
Part one:
Sarah stated that the Green paper for Adult Social Care (ASC) is still deferred until Autumn, with no date due for release. The current concern is that the Green Paper will continue to be pushed back, particularly since the Government’s announcement of a £20.5 billion increase in funding each year for the next five years. Sarah stated that main focus and calls from the LGA are:
· To continue to lobby for the governments Adult Social Care Green Paper; and
· Lobby on how the increase in funding for the NHS is going to be spent.
Members noted this update.
Sarah updated members on part two of the update, and reminded the board this part was confidential:
Sarah stated that the LGA is planning on releasing its own ASC Green Paper in the coming months. Political group Leaders have agreed for the publication of this in principal, but is yet to agree on the paper’s final content. Sarah went on to state that there is a clear consensus amongst local authorities that there needs to be more funding for ASC from government, and that funding is not just raised at a local level. Sarah stated that the press release is embargoed until the upcoming Sunday.
The Chair thanked Sarah for the update and welcomed members to comment:
· Members greatly welcomed the LGA’s Green Paper.
· Members raised concern over the work to be delivered within timescale.
· Members requested that leaders of councils with ASC responsibilities should be able to contribute.
· Members emphasised the need to get this right in terms of communication and lobbying.
· Members expressed some worries over potential taxation at a local level, and that this may be claimed by the NHS rather than channelled into ASC. Members stated that there is a danger we are at tipping point on choices between adults/children’s social care and other services like highways.
· Members expressed the need to ensure the paper does not just get ‘shelved’.
· Members discussed the need to get across broader purpose of ASC prevention and push back on NHS view of it all being about reducing DTOCs.
· Members stated that we should consider the LGA’s links with the Department of Work and Pensions.
· Members discussed and considered an insurance type system, as well as a reputational risk (based on reactions to the Green Papers national proposals).
· Members discussed the need to show central government what local government have to offer.
· Members agreed that money is not the only problem in relation to ASC, and that public spending is not always used to best effect. Members stated the need to explore other elements – such as housing, obesity, personal responsibility, healthy lifestyles, which are all key.
· Members discussed the Japanese ASC model, and felt Japan and some other countries had approached positively to get people on board.
· Members discussed that 40 per cent of health outcomes due are to health behaviours and 45 per cent are due to housing and environmental factors, and so primary prevention is vital.
· Members stated that there needs to be a robust communications plan, including targeting MP’s, as getting the message across to them is key.
· Members suggested linking in other government departments, such as the Department for Transport (regarding rural transport) and the Home Office (regarding fire home safety programmes). Members agreed that this is a cross-government issue and that the Green Paper needs their contributions.
Sarah stated that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care was in support of the LGA’s Green Paper, and that consultation would be underway in the coming weeks.
The Chair stated that the real issue regarding funding being raised locally is that it is being used to address care needs of the small proportion of population in local areas and that this is stretched to its limits. The Chair agreed that a robust programme of communications and lobbying is needed.
The Chair thanked members for their comments.
Action
· Members noted the update.