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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED – That subject to the above, the work programme as attached at Appendix 1 to the report (COGC/26/25) be agreed.
AGREED:- (i) That the Safeguarding Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee (SCWSC) thank the officers and lead member for their excellent report, with the inclusion of case studies being particularly interesting. (ii) That SCWSC thank all staff for their achievements despite the budget constraints they are working under.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Beryl Blackmore and Krista Childs. Councillor Annette Davies was absent.
AGREED: That the minutes held on 12 March 2025 be signed as correct.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – That subject to the above, the work programme as attached at Appendix 1 to the report (COGC/26/25) be agreed.
The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer submitted a report (COGC/26/25), requesting Members to review and consider the draft work programme of the Safeguarding, Communities, and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, as detailed in Appendix 1. The Scrutiny Facilitator presented the report and outlined its key elements. The draft work programme, initially discussed at the previous meeting, has now been finalised and accepted. Updates included the following changes: · Following discussions during the Chair's planning meeting, the item on HMP Berwyn has been rescheduled to September. This adjustment aimed to enable the preparation of a comprehensive report encompassing not only the work of the prison service but also related efforts by social care and other linked services · The adult service update, initially planned for June, has been postponed to the autumn term. This decision reflected the potential for an upcoming inspection. · Aligning the review with the subsequent inspection report will provide a more thorough examination of the topic, incorporating any additional recommendations from the report findings The Chair invited interested Members to join the task and finish group. The following committee members were confirmed: Councillor Beryl Blackmore, Marc Jones, Malcolm King OBE and the Chair. AGREED – That subject to the above, the work programme as attached at Appendix 1 to the report (COGC/26/25) be agreed.
Decision as recorded
AGREED:- (i) That the Safeguarding Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee (SCWSC) thank the officers and lead member for their excellent report, with the inclusion of case studies being particularly interesting. (ii) That SCWSC thank all staff for their achievements despite the budget constraints they are working under.
The Chief Officer submitted report COSC/06/25, updating the committee on winter pressures in health and social care for 2024/25. The report included input from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board partners. Councillor John Pritchard, Lead Member for Adult Social Care, Health, and Wellbeing, introduced the item. He highlighted the report’s focus on challenges in domiciliary care, Welsh Government funding usage, improvements in hospital discharge delays, and the increasing complexity of service provision due to an ageing population. Alison Reeve, Interim Chief Officer for Social Care, presented the joint report, addressing demographic challenges, national priorities such as the hospital discharge agenda, and Wrexham’s response, including the Further Faster programme and enhanced community care capacity. The key points were as follows: · Monthly census data demonstrated significant reductions in hospital discharge delays over the past year, signalling progress. However, the need for a sustainable, long-term approach was emphasised to meet growing demands in community care. · The report underscored the importance of collaboration with partners, particularly Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, in addressing ongoing pressures. It concluded with a summary of efforts to manage these challenges locally and regionally. Victoria Bishop, Head of Service for Older People, was also present to assist and respond to committee queries. The following was discussed:- · Members commended the report for its concise and well-structured format, describing it as a model example due to its accessibility and inclusion of useful contextual links. · Concerns were raised about challenges in hospital discharge delays, which were highest in North Wales. · The closure of Penley Hospital as a community facility was discussed, with members noting its underutilisation and highlighting that social care has not been significantly impacted. · It was noted that North Wales continues to record thousands of delayed hospital discharge days. · Whilst incremental progress has been made, the pace of improvement was insufficient to significantly reduce the region's undesirable record in this area. · Members acknowledged Welsh Government aspirations to plan hospital discharges from day one, but it was highlighted that this was often unrealistic due to patients being acutely unwell upon admission. · It was noted that early planning for hospital discharges can result in repeated assessments, placing additional strain on already limited resources. · Social care continues to navigate the challenge of balancing the demands of acute care systems with the need to build community capacity. This was further hindered by health budgets that remain predominantly allocated to acute care settings. · Welsh Government funding played a crucial role in addressing winter pressures, enabling a reduction in hospital discharge waiting times from over 3,000 hours to approximately 2,000 hours within a year. This significant achievement was recognised as a testament to the collaborative efforts of social care teams and managers. · Members highlighted that the absence of pooled budgets created a financial disincentive for social services to invest in initiatives that could reduce NHS costs. · Despite national policy aimed at avoiding funding disputes that caused discharge delays, separate budgets and differing legislation were noted as significant barriers to effective collaboration · Wrexham's ageing population, at 20.4%, surpasses the national average in England (18.6%), contributing to increased NHS pressures. · A member shared their positive experience of being discharged within 20 hours following a hip operation but acknowledged the strain an ageing population places on healthcare resources. · Members proposed exploring Anglesey’s approach to hospital discharge management, noting its higher proportion of over-65s (26.6%) but lower overall population, which appears to facilitate better outcomes. · The term "clinically optimised," used in the report, was clarified as referring to individuals who were medically fit for discharge and required no further medical intervention. · Members expressed disappointment over Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board's repeated non-attendance, noting their absence limits opportunities for insight into collaborative challenges. · It was proposed that during the committee’s September planning meeting, a formal request be made for a high-ranking health board representative to attend future sessions. · A spike in discharge delays from February to April was queried, with small census variations potentially linked to winter pressures. Members requested a breakdown of discharge delay codes to further analyse these months. · The significance of proactive outreach, including social prescribing and re enablement services, was underscored as vital for preventative care. · Members emphasised the financial advantages of these measures, noting that hospital beds are significantly more expensive than community or residential care settings. · Concerns were raised about the strain on third-sector resources, which are critical to supporting health prevention and wellbeing. · Political action to prioritise preventative strategies and introduce pooled budgets was suggested as essential to achieving sustainable, long-term solutions. AGREED:- (i) That the Safeguarding Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee (SCWSC) thank the officers and lead member for their excellent report, with the inclusion of case studies being particularly interesting. (ii) That SCWSC thank all staff for their achievements despite the budget constraints they are working under.
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