Decision details

(i)  To note that social care assessments of the respite needs of individuals currently using Kentish Road have been completed and have been sent to individuals and carers, along with draft care and support plans and information about the alternative respite arrangements available.

(ii)  To note the work that has been completed since September 2015 to review the provision of respite care and to develop a range of suitable alternatives to Kentish Road.

(iii)  To note that suitable alternative arrangements have been identified to meet the respite needs of individuals currently using Kentish Road.

(iv)  To approve the closure of the current respite service provided by the council at Kentish Road on 30 November 2017.

(v)  To note the proposed use of the annexe at Kentish Road (32B Kentish Road) to provide a smaller, reconfigured respite service with an independence focus, and increasing choice by replicating the service model at the Weston Court scheme on the Kentish Road site.

(vi)  To delegate authority to the Director of Quality and Integration to initiate a procurement exercise to appoint a care provider to deliver a reconfigured respite service at 32B Kentish Road, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing and Adult Care and the Service Director, Adults, Housing and Communities.

1.  To address the resolutions made by Cabinet on 16 December 2014, 20 January 2015 and 15 September 2015 in respect of the proposed closure of the Kentish Road respite service.

2.  The respite service in its current form provided by the council at Kentish Road is restricting choice through the development of alternatives that can be purchased using direct payments. 

3.  A range of suitable alternative respite arrangements are in place and able to meet the respite needs of people currently using Kentish Road in full, including provision for respite care required at short notice.

4.  Prior to the Cabinet resolution made in January 2015 to close the current respite service at Kentish Road, it was operating at 73% capacity. This has further reduced significantly as people have been supported to transition to suitable alternatives.

5.  Listening to feedback from carers groups, it is recognised that there is support for retaining a respite provision at Kentish Road. Feedback from the model to be delivered at the new Weston Court scheme has been largely positive. Although there is sufficient capacity to meet assessed need, without additional new provision beyond Weston Court, the provision of a similar scheme to Weston Court by a partner organisation at 32B Kentish Road is being investigated in order to provide additional choice to individuals who need residential respite care.

6.  Continued delivery of the current respite service at Kentish Road is not financially sustainable in the longer term and would require investment for essential safety work and additional capital investment to modernise the scheme. It is also not practically feasible to keep Kentish Road open beyond 30 November 2017 due to staffing issues. 

7.  The reasons for the recommendations contained in the Cabinet Reports dated 16 December 2014 and 20 January 2015 remain valid.

1.  The alternative option of keeping Kentish Road open to continue to provide services in the same way was considered and rejected for the reasons set out above. The current service does not meet the requirement to increase choice and control, promote individual approaches and does not support a strengths-based approach.

2.  Consideration was given to a redesign of the current service. This option was rejected because it is not likely to support the full development of personalised care and the increased use of direct payments in the longer term.

3.  Consideration was given to keeping the current scheme at Kentish Road open until the proposed provision at 32B Kentish Road was in place. This was rejected as not being possible in the short term because of staffing issues hindering the council’s ability to provide a safe service and to comply with Care Quality Commission requirements.

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, at its meeting on 9 November 2017, made the following recommendations:

(i)  That the Cabinet Member investigates why expressions of interest in operating the supported respite provision at Weston Court from Mencap and the Rose Road Association were not referred to the Cabinet Member prior to the determination of the operator.

(ii)  That, at the 14 November 2017 meeting, Cabinet withdraw the report and keep the Kentish Road Respite Service open.

(iii)  That, if the report was not withdrawn from the Cabinet meeting, anonymised information was provided for the 14 November 2017 Cabinet meeting outlining the costs to the Authority relating to the individuals that had transitioned from Kentish Road Respite Service to permanent placements since the resolutions made by Cabinet on 16 December 2014.

(iv)  That, if the report was not withdrawn from the Cabinet meeting, a comprehensive and fully costed assessment, that clearly identified the assumption that the cost savings were predicated on, was provided for the 14 November Cabinet meeting.

(v)  That, if the report was not withdrawn from the Cabinet meeting, information be provided to the Cabinet meeting that explained:

a)  How the proposed closure of the Kentish Road Respite Service would  lead to better outcomes for service users;

b)  The measurements that were being used to determine ‘better outcomes’;

c)  How the removal of the Kentish Road Respite Service would improve choice for adults living with a learning disability in Southampton.