Presentation from the Head of Commissioning and Contracts
Minutes:
The Head of Commissioning and Contracts provided Members with a presentation on the quality and contract monitoring of Care Homes, and the support provided by Adult Services in relation to the Executive Strategy Management (ESM) process.
The Head of Commissioning and Contracts advised Members on the development of an Executive Strategy Management Action Plan, and the themes contained within such plans, which have previously included Management and Leadership of Care Home, Culture, Recruitment and Retention practices, Safety and Welfare of Residents, Staff Training and Development, Management of Medication and Poor Record Keeping.
Members were advised of the number of Executive Strategy Management interventions over the course of 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 to date, and provided with the most recent ratings by the CQC for the Care Homes in Darlington.
Discussion ensued on the appropriate utilisation of staff within Care Homes, the spike in ESMs in 2022/23 and the lessons learnt, and the consequences and reparations attached to ESM. Members were keen to understand how the Council ensured that self-funders continued to receive the same level of care should a contractual breach lead to a reduction in fees payable from the local authority, and what timescales were involved to improve if the CQC deemed services to be inadequate or required improvement.
RESOLVED – That the content of the presentation be noted.