northlincs.gov.uk

24 (10) ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE OLDER PEOPLE’S NATIONAL SERVICE FRAMEWORK LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION TEAM – The Service Director Adult Social Care submitted a report presenting the 2008 Annual Report of the Older People’s Local Implementation Team, and seeking approval of development areas and priorities for 2009.

National Service Frameworks (NSFs) were established by the Department of Health (DoH) to improve services through setting of national standards to drive up quality and tackle existing variations in care. In March 2001, the DoH published the NSF for Older People, which set out a ten-year programme of action to reform and address the care of older people across health and social services. The standards and milestones within the NSF applied whether an older person was being cared for at home, in a residential setting, or in hospital. It specifically addressed those conditions that were particularly significant for older people, and which had not been covered in other NSFs.

The targets within the Older People’s NSF fell into four key themes:

• Respecting the individual
• Intermediate Care
• Providing evidence based specialist care
• Promoting an active, healthy life

Within each of these themes were a number of measurable standards with achievable milestones to improve the quality of services provided.

The North Lincolnshire Older People’s NSF Local Implementation Team was established in 2001 and met bi-monthly. The focus of its work had been on both long-term sustainable change towards meeting the NSF standards and on delivering the milestones to demonstrate substantial progress to local people. The 2008 Annual Report outlined the progress to date and indicated the development areas and priorities for 2009.

Resolved – (a) That the North Lincolnshire Older People’s National Service Framework Local Implementation Team Annual Report 2008 be noted, and (b) that the development areas and priorities for 2009 contained in the report be approved.

25 (11) EMPLOYMENT STRATEGY FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES – The Service Director Adult Social Care submitted a report seeking endorsement of ‘Bigger and Better Lives Through Employment’, an employment strategy for people with learning disabilities, and support for a local event to promote employment for people with learning disabilities across North Lincolnshire.

In 2001, the original Department of Health Valuing People Strategy for people with learning disabilities and their families set a clear objective around employment. This was “to enable more people with learning disabilities to participate in all forms of employment, wherever possible in paid work and to make a valued contribution to the world of work”.

Despite this clear objective, opportunities for people with learning disabilities to find jobs remained limited at both a national and local level.

A number of actions had been taken to improve the current situation at national level. In North Lincolnshire the Learning Disability Partnership Board had employment as one its key priorities. An employment sub group of the board had been formed, which comprised a cross section of members from across the council, schools, colleges, employment services, individuals with learning disabilities and family carers. The sub group had developed a strategy that had been turned into an accessible document by one of the council partners.

Resolved – (a) That the strategy ‘Bigger and Better Lives Through Employment’ be endorsed, and (b) that a public launch early in 2009 be supported.

26 (12) SAFEGUARDING AND DIGNITY IN CARE TOOLKIT UPDATE – The Service Director Adult Social Care submitted a report providing information about how the use of the Dignity and Privacy Audit Tool would contribute to the Adult Social Care agenda, updating on the developments of the Dignity Sub Group, and seeking endorsement of the proposed way forward.

At the National Service Framework Local Implementation Team (NSF LIT) for Older People meeting in April 2008, members of the group had attended a Dignity in Care regional event, and some members had attended a workshop run by Leeds NHS Trust. Leeds NHS Trust had produced a ward audit tool, which incorporated national work on dignity for patients. It was agreed that a sub group of the NSF LIT be formed to investigate the usefulness of the tool and how it could be used in North Lincolnshire.

Since May 2008, representatives from the council, North Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust, RdaSH, and Who Cares had met and piloted the toolkit within different areas. Due to the toolkit being a ward audit tool, work was now being undertaken to modify the toolkit to make it North Lincolnshire specific, and for day support settings, residential units and a community tool for use in peoples’ own homes.

Once the tools had been produced, they would be used to monitor how well dignity and privacy was being addressed. There were many benefits to the process for both citizens and Adult Social Services. They included an external audit of dignity issues, and increased awareness of the importance of dignity in care for staff and citizens.

Resolved – (a) That the report be noted, and (b) that the way forward for rolling out the tool across health and social care services in North Lincolnshire be endorsed.