Agenda item

To report the feedback from the Voice of Disability consultation event held in November 2018 and update the Board on partners' responses to the recommendations identified in the report.

The Board considered a report (Agenda Item 10) which presented recommendations arising from a workshop with people with disabilities organised by Healthwatch. Andrew Sharp, in introducing the report, thanked all partners for their support to hold the event and write the report.

On the subject of standards of care for people with disabilities, Andrew Sharp highlighted the recent BBC Panorama documentary about Whorlton Hall. He asked that the following question be answered by the Board to provide reassurance to the public:

“How is the Board assured that the kind of staff behaviour seen on the BBC Panorama documentary is not happening in West Berkshire OR to any patients from West Berkshire sent out of area? (Do we also know if any residents of West Berkshire were or ever have been patients  at Whorlton Hall?). What steps are undertaken to ensure this does not happen to West Berkshire Residents who are sent out of area ; which Board member organisations are responsible for ensuring this is not occurring  and are there any actions that might need to be taken as a result of the BBC documentary to increase assurance levels?”

Returning to the report, Andrew Sharp highlighted that there were a lot of good things reported at the conference but a minority received a less than exceptional service. He outlined each of the recommendations involving pavement parking, repairs by the wheelchair clinic and support to use IT. The particular challenge to the Board was whether it had sufficient oversight of disability issues within its current strategy and structures.

Councillor Doherty thanked Healthwatch for the report. She noted that it did not include the voice of children and would ask that this was included. Recommendation 6 regarding CAMHS waiting times, had been discussed many times at the Board and the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board. She agreed that pavement parking posed an issue to many residents including people with disabilities. Councillor Doherty was confident that the Children’s Delivery Group had oversight of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Strategy but was not sure how the Board had oversight of adults with disabilities.

Councillor Owen Jeffery expressed the view that diagnosis through CAMHS was important. Councillor Doherty provided reassurance that through initiatives such as the Emotional Health Academy children could receive early help before any diagnosis. West Berkshire had been identified as part of a national trailblazer pilot of children’s mental health. Although Councillor Doherty accepted that waiting times were still too long, she assured Councillor Jeffery that children still received support.

Councillor Jeffery further asked whether Thatcham Football Club had been contacted regarding the feedback outlined on page 37 that their site was not disabled-friendly. Andrew Sharp advised that Healthwatch were still in the process of getting in touch with relevant organisations.

Councillor Steve Masters thanked Healthwatch for the report and in response to recommendation 13, reported that he had accompanied someone to their Personal Independence Payment assessment as an advocate and had found the process to be designed to intimidate. The lift had also been out of order but he understood that assessments were now taking place at an alternative premises. Councillor Jones responded that this issue could be referred to MPs to address. Andrew Sharp advised the DWP representatives had attended the event and were locally becoming more engaged.

Councillor Jones asked what the next steps would be. Andrew Sharp advised that he would welcome further responses on each of the recommendations over the next couple of weeks before it was officially launched. Dr Bal Bahia expressed the view that it was not clear how disability issues would be reported to the Board and this warranted further consideration.

Councillor Jones requested that all Board members ensure their organisations responded to the points raised in the report. Recommendation 16 would need further investigation and recommendation 17 was a longer term issue which would need to be considered as part of development of the new strategy.

RESOLVED that the report was noted.