Report of the Executive Director of Adult Social Services

This report provides Members with an update on progress to further develop the Our Manchester Carers Strategy since the last update to Health Scrutiny in September 2019. 

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Adult Social Services that provided an update on progress to further develop the Our Manchester Carers Strategy since the last update to Health Scrutiny in September 2019.

Progress in some areas has been hindered through the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, however, there were still many significant developments to update Members on which had transformed how carers were better supported to continue/maintain their caring role.

Key points and themes in the report included:

·         Providing a background and introduction to the report, describing that the nationally-adopted definition was provided by the Carers Trust – ‘a carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who, due to illness, disability, a mental health need or addiction cannot cope without their support’.;

·         Evidence how additional funding, secured in 2019, had been used to implement a new carer pathway delivered through a strong partnership between Manchester Carers VCSE organisations, Adult Social Care Commissioners and Adult Social Care Carers Team, embracing carers across all age groups over 18 years and disability groups;

·         Noting that effective support for unpaid, informal or family-based caring arrangements remained critical to the sustainability of our health and social care system and the success of our Better Outcomes, Better Lives programme as well as initiatives such as ‘discharge to assess’ designed to further shift the focus from acute interventions to care and support delivered closer to home;

·         Describing that progress in some areas had been hindered through the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic;

·         Information on the report ‘Breaks or Breakdown’, published by Carers UK in 2021 that described the impact of the pandemic on carers;

·         Detailing the Adult Social Care Statutory duties under the Care Act 2014;

·         The Vision for Carers in Our Manchester Carers Strategy and how this could be achieved by a new delivery model;

·         An update on the Carers Manchester Network Coordination; Carers Manchester Contact Point and Locality Partnerships;

·         Describing how the NHS Long Term Plan would support carers;

·         Information on the Manchester City Council Carers Emergency Fund, noting the positive impact this had;

·         Key highlights from the academic survey that had been undertaken of Carers in 2021;

·         Other key developments that benefited Carers, including work on the Covid-19 vaccine uptake for Carers and partnerships with cultural, leisure and sport outlets;

·         Describing that options for developing a Carer Break, building on the Liverpool City Council developments, were being progressed;

·         Identified challenges and risks; and

·         Conclusions.

Members heard from Saeed, a Carer who described his lived experience and difficulties when trying to navigate the benefits system to access Carer’s Allowance. Members acknowledged the frustration and distress experienced by Saeed and encouraged him to contact his local MP who would be able to assist with issues relating to the Department of Work and Pensions.

The Committee also heard from Gaynor Morgan, Carer and Chair of the Manchester Carers Forum who articulated her lived experience as a full-time carer. She described the immense positive support she had received from the Carers Manchester Contact Point and how she had encouraged other carers she came into contact with to access this free service.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

·         Thanking the invited guests for attending the meeting and sharing their lived experience with the Committee;

·         Noting that the issue of young carers fell within the remit of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee;

·         Welcoming the delivery of the Carers Manchester Contact Point (CMCP) and noting the positive experience of this articulated by the invited guests;

·         Noting the significant contribution the Carers Emergency Fund had made in supporting Carers and recognising the importance of this and the need to promote all avenues of financial support available to carers;

·         The future funding of Gaddum and other VSCE organisations;

·         The need to identify and engage with ‘hidden carers’ noting that often individuals do not identify themselves as carers;

·         Further information was sought on the reported underspend of the Carers’ Personal Budget; and

·         Noting the importance of informal information sharing and signposting amongst carers.

The Strategic Lead (Commissioning) advised the Committee that the additional investment in the Our Manchester Carer Support was realised through the Greater Manchester Transformation Fund (GMTF) and the Our Manchester Investment Fund (OMIF – MCC) over a two-year period which would come to an end in March 2022 and this would impact both Gaddum and the other eighteen Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners. She described that discussions were currently ongoing with the Deputy Director of Adult Social Services to consider all future funding options, noting the importance of maintaining the progress that had been made to date, in particular the CMCP. In response to the question relating to the Personal Budget underspend she advised that any reported underspend would be included back into the global budget, however they remained fully committed to a balanced budget and staff were actively working to identify additional carers who would be eligible for this fund. 

The Strategic Lead (Commissioning) noted the comments from the Member in regard to the important contribution the Carers Emergency Fund had made to the lives of carers and she further paid tribute to the staff in the Carers Manchester Contact Point and those in the Revenues and Benefits Unit who had administered this fund.

Lynne Stafford, Chief Executive, Gaddum described the challenges that the pandemic had presented when trying to deliver the CMCP, noting that this had to be delivered by staff working remotely. She stated that despite this challenge the service had been launched successfully and provided a free, single point of contact for carers.

Dorothy Evans, Chief Executive, African Caribbean Care Group provided an account of the activities and work delivered at a local level to provide culturally appropriate support and advice to the local community. She described that this was delivered by engaging with and understanding the specific needs and barriers experienced by the community before they reached a crisis point. Lynne Stafford, Chief Executive, Gaddum also described the work delivered in localities to identify and support those hidden carers, adding that there was specific pathway designed to support young carers.

Decision

The Committee recommend that the Deputy Leader consider the options to maintain the Carers Emergency Fund.