Issue - meetings

Report by the Corporate Director, Carolyn Godfrey.

Councillor Jerry Wickham presented the report which had been prepared to provide the Cabinet with an update on the implementation and impact of the Adult Care Charging Policy (the charging policy) which came into effect in August 2016, including the Council’s response to the report commissioned from Healthwatch into the impact of the implementation of the Charging Policy. The report also provided a summary of the actual and projected financial impact of this new policy based on data collected between August 2016 and the beginning of July 2017.

Councillor Wickham also introduced Sandie Lewis from Healthwatch Wiltshire to provide further information on the work undertaken on the matter.

In presenting the report, Councillor Wickham highlighted the issues that were identified with the implementation of the policy, the changes made following its review, and stated that he had apologised the people who had been affected by the changes.

Issues highlighted in the course of the presentation and debate included: how the Health Select Committee had been involved in the matter; that the Council had been successful in helping clients maximise the benefits they were entitled to; and that the lessons learnt from the review of the implementation of the policy were being shared in other areas of the council’s work.

Resolved

To note the implementation of the new Charging Policy; Healthwatch Wiltshire’s review of the implementation; and the actions taken by the Council in respect of that review.

Reason for Decision:

This paper has been prepared for the Cabinet following the recommendation of the Health Select Committee.