Issue - meetings

This report presents a review of the implementation of recommendations from the Scrutiny review of Routecall undertaken in 2015. It includes a review of Routecall and associated services managed within the Community and Wellbeing Services department of the Council.

The Committee received a report presenting a review of the implementation of recommendations from the Scrutiny review of Routecall undertaken in 2015. The following matters were considered:

a)            Success of scrutiny review recommendations. The Committee noted the improvements to the Council’s services which had been implemented as a result of the recommendations of the scrutiny review, and expressed its congratulations and thanks to the Head of Operational Services and his team for their work to achieve this.

b)            Cashless payments for Transport from Home services. The Head of Operational Services informed the Committee that approximately 90% of excursion bookings were now paid for via a cashless method. A move to 100% cashless transactions for all Transport from Home services was likely to take a few more years to achieve, to ensure that vulnerable users without access to cashless payment methods were not restricted from using the services.

c)            Provision of services to customers outside the Borough. In response to a question from a Member of the Committee, the Head of Operational Services informed the meeting that the Meals at Home service was used by some customers located outside the Borough, and that this helped to offset its operational costs. Confirmation of whether any non-borough residents used the Transport from Home service would be provided to members of the Committee following the meeting.

d)            Integration with Adult Social Care and Health Services. The Chief Operating Officer informed the Committee that local adult social care services (provided by Surrey County Council) and health services (provided by the NHS through clinical commissioning groups) were not currently engaged with the Wellbeing Daycare+ services provided by the Council. Similar issues were encountered by other Boroughs and Districts across the County.

The Committee noted the value and benefits which the Council’s Wellbeing Daycare+ services provided in terms of reducing social isolation and ‘bed-blocking’ and was informed by the Chief Operating Officer that both he and the Chief Executive would take this matter forward with social care and health care providers.

Following consideration, the Committee:

(1)          Noted the progress made on implementing the recommendations contained within the review of the Routecall service.

The Committee expressed its thanks to all of the staff involved in implementing the recommendations of the review, and requested that it’s appreciation of their efforts be included within the Minutes of the meeting.