Issue details

Cabinet received a report detailing and requesting it consider the results of the consultation on a number of measures designed to increase the emphasis on promoting independence and prevention amongst people with developing social care needs and to revise the eligibility criteria for Adult Social Care from April 2013.  The report also requested consideration of the results of the consultation on a number of changes to the Adult Social Care charging policy, including a review of the Disability Related Expenditure Disregard in the financial assessment, the introduction of new charges for assistive technology and the appointeeship service, and the removal of the subsidy for the home meals service.

Cabinet considered the report and RESOLVED to:

1)            Note the responses received to the consultation with social care users, carers, staff and partners (appendix 1) on proposals to revise the council’s eligibility criteria for council supported social care services, to extend access to reablement and the range of preventative services available to people with care needs who fall below eligibility criteria, modifications to the Adult Social Care charging policy and the removal of the subsidy to the home meals service.

2)            Agree the following recommendations for implementation, which have been amended to reflect feedback received, together with the findings from the Equality Impact Assessment:

a)        Raise eligibility criteria for Adult Social Care from high/moderate to critical/substantial in line with Department of Health categories with effect from April 2013 for new service users and for existing service users from the date of their annual review or sooner if there is a change in circumstance which merits earlier review;

b)        Provide access to a period of reablement to all existing and new service users who would benefit;

c)        Offer a longer term transition plan to younger adults with long term conditions including those who fall below critical/substantial needs;

d)        Re-commission and further invest in ‘a preventative offer’ available to the wider community;

e)        Introduce the banded disability disregard (as specified in section 4.8);

f)          Introduce a charge for assistive technology ranging from £2.88 to £6.44 per week depending on the equipment provided;

g)        Change the qualifying pension age of 60 to “Pension qualifying pension age” to reflect national changes which will come into force;

h)        Introduce an administrative charge of £5 per week where the local authority acts as appointee for service users who lack capacity in line with good practice guidance issued by the association of Public Authority Deputies;

i)           In the light of feedback, modify the proposal regarding the subsidy on home meals to allow for a phasing of its removal in respect of hot meals over two years, resulting in an increase from £3.20 to £4.20 per meal from 1 April 2013 rising to £5.20 from 1 April 2014; and

j)           Increase the charge for frozen home meals from £2.00 to £2.60 per meal from 1 April 2013.