Issue - meetings

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Community Direction).

The Scrutiny Commission received a report and presentation which informed members of the progress made to improve the service delivery of Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs). Tina Tinsley from the Papworth Trust, the new Home Improvement Agency procured jointly with the other Leicestershire authorities, gave a background to the organisation and the contract and explained the improvements that were being made to the DFG process. It had been proven that adaptations could prevent accidents, thereby saving the NHS more than the cost of the adaptations, yet the process for carrying out an adaptation was still extremely lengthy.

Concern was expressed that the time taken for the Occupational Therapist to assess and recommend works was lengthening the overall process, but also that when they recently cleared their backlog it caused delays along the whole process. In response it was noted that an independent report, commissioned by the District Councils’ Network was, amongst other things, recommending the options of either moving the entire process to county councils or to districts. Members supported the suggestion to manage the process locally and agreed to include it as a recommendation.

RESOLVED -

(i)         the achievement of the Private Sector Housing Team in reducing the time taken to process grant applications whilst maintaining a high standard of delivery be noted;

(ii)        the impact of an aging population and the future demand for adaptations within HBBC be recognised;

(iii)       the lack of control / influence that HBBC has on the referral rate and criteria set by Leicestershire County Council Social Care Services (SCS) for the initial Occupational Therapist (OT) assessment be acknowledged;

(iv)       the work being undertaken to improve delivery time of DFG’s and on the exploration of alternative solutions which allow for more timely installation of adaptations be supported;

(v)        the rigidity of the DFG process and the need to ensure flexible outputs be acknowledged;

(vi)       Papworth Trust Home Solutions (PTHS) be noted as the new Home Improvement Agency operating in Leicestershire.

RECOMMENDED – that officers pursue a recommendation emerging from research soon to be published by the District Councils’ Network that integrated team working at locality level be explored for adoption.

The Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Direction) will provide a verbal response to the question asked at the previous meeting regarding the future budget for Disabled Facilities Grants.

In response to concerns raised at the previous meeting, Members were reassured that the budget for disabled facilities grants had not, and was not planned to be reduced. It was agreed that a full report on grants and waiting lists would be brought to the next meeting.