Agenda item

In accordance with the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, the Chair of the Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee (Councillor Randall Johnson) has invoked the call-in procedure in relation to the decision of the Cabinet Member for Integrated Adult Social Care (Minute *491 refers) that:

(a) the NorthDevonLinkServiceDrop-inservicesthatrunfromtheLinkCentres inBarnstaple,BidefordandIlfracombe, be closed;

(b) that the closureincludes ceasingtheshort-termenablingsupportto thoseservice users inreceiptofCare Act2014 eligibleservices, and to note that the Council and DevonPartnershipTrustwillassistthosepeopleto accessalternative equivalent support; and

(c) that the Council work withDevonPartnershipNHSTrustandtheDevonMental HealthAllianceto support all serviceusers in their transition to alternativecommunitysupportovera periodof3 months minimum.

The grounds for this call-in are below and this has been discussed with the Monitoring Officer, as required by the Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

“There was insufficient information provided to ensure service users’ future support. Scrutiny has not been given the opportunity to receive evidence and additional information to ensure service users will be provided with a person based support.”

If the Scrutiny Committee decide to not make any recommendations to Cabinet, then the Cabinet Members decision can be implemented immediately. If the Committee ask Cabinet to reconsider the decision or recommend another course of action, then this will be considered at the Cabinet meeting on 10 April 2024.

The Cabinet Member decision is held in abeyance until the call-in procedure has been concluded.

The three accompanying documents (i.e. Record of Decision, Report and Impact Assessment) are attached for Members and the decision available at this link.

(In accordance with Standing Order 25, Councillors C Leaver and J McInnes attended and spoke to this item with the consent of the Committee).

In accordance with the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, the Chair of the Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee (Councillor Randall Johnson) had invoked the call in procedure in relation to the decision of the Cabinet Member for Integrated Adult Social Care (Minute *491 refers) that:

(a) the North Devon Link Service Drop-in services that run from the Link Centres in Barnstaple, Bideford and Ilfracombe, be closed;

(b) that the closure includes ceasing the short-term enabling support to those service users in receipt of Care Act 2014 eligible services, and to note that the Council and Devon Partnership Trust will assist those people to access alternative equivalent support; and

(c) that the Council work with Devon Partnership NHS Trust and the Devon Mental Health Alliance to support all service users in their transition to alternative community support over a period of 3 months minimum.

The grounds for this call-in are below and this had been discussed with the Monitoring Officer, as required by the Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

“There was insufficient information provided to ensure service users’ future support. Scrutiny has not been given the opportunity to receive evidence and additional information to ensure service users will be provided with a person based support.”

The three accompanying documents (i.e. Record of Decision, Report and Impact Assessment) were attached for members and the decision available at this link.

The Chair invited all members of the committee who represented divisions in North Devon to comment on this item (including Councillor Leaver, attending under Standing Order 25). There was positive comment on the most recent consultation regarding the closure of the North Devon Link Services, and that it was an improvement on previous consultations; and local members also expressed that they understood the rationale for wanting to provide a better, more cost-effective service. However, local members raised concerns, including those brought to them by residents of their divisions, about the practicality of stopping the services given the perceived lack of availability and poor suitability of alternative mental health support in North Devon, particularly in context of the proposed ‘soft handover’ of services for existing users. One member referred to the report that had been considered by the Devon County Council Cabinet and the equality considerations therein – namely that rurality and social isolation (as pertinent to North Devon) are areas that warrant consideration, with questions as to how far this had been done.

In response to concerns raised by councillors about a “one size fits all” approach to mental health (with worries expressed that the changes represented a move towards such a model), officers explained that that was not the way in which they saw mental health services in North Devon moving forward. They outlined that the proposed new model for mental health services in North Devon would involve working with local communities to better understand individual need andthe support required. In relation to this, officers also further articulated the aim and structure of the Devon Mental Health Alliance; namely, that it was made up of six organisations across Devon and Plymouth and funded through statutory funding, with more flexibility of what services can be offered and how,. It worked closely with the voluntary sector and smaller organisations within communities, including the awarding of funds and group work sessions for a varied level of mental health support, amongst other undertakings. It was clarified that a core focus of the Devon Mental Health Alliance, therefore, was to work with communities to understand their needs and adjust mental health provision accordingly. Torbay was brought up as an example of the kind of benefits of a community development programme spearheaded by the Alliance, and that this would allow for a greater range of provision than could be provided by the link centres in North Devon.

In response to officers, members appreciated the intent behind the plans. However there was still wide concern around the lack of clarity around transition. Officers did explain that the provision of a transition plan would be contingent on work beginning with local communities, so that plans could be produced in response to local need (and not having a “one size fits all” plan for transition). Notwithstanding this, some members expressed that they were not convinced that the closure of the North Devon Link Services as agreed by Cabinet represented a positive change for users of these services, in light of a perceived lack of clarity around this transition and availability of alternative services.

It was MOVED by Councillor Randall Johnson, SECONDED by Councillor Hellyer and

RESOLVED that

(i) The Committee expresses that it is satisfied with the decision of Cabinet but places on record its concerns and the need for further assurance relating to:

·         the application and transition of the process as set out for people affected by the closure of link services, as soon as possible;

·         the development of community-based solutions to meet the identified needs;

·         how any gaps that have emerged have been addressed (noting that flexible resourcing was pledged);

·         the emerging long-term pattern of community-based mental health support as a result of this process;

·         and that Scrutiny would like to hear the direct experience of people as part of the reporting back; and

(ii) That an update is provided to the Health & Adult Scrutiny Committee in 6 months.

[Note:  In accordance with Standing Order 32(4) Councillor Bailey requested that her vote against this resolution be recorded.]