ccmeeting 10

							        Minutes
        Charging Consultation Group - Civic Centre Community room D
        07.02.2011
        Minutes taken by Chantel Gonzalez




Present:      Chantel Gonzalez – LBM DP administrator
              Amy Banister – LMB DP and FA Business Support officer (Chair)
              Daniel Clark – LMB DP Support Officer
              Patrick Daly – DP customer
              Myrtle Agutter – Merton’s Senior’s forum
              Vicky Murray – LBM Debt recovery
              Saleem Sheikh MBE - Asian Elders
              Robert Hill – LBM LD team

              Lynne Bainbridge
Apologies     Bill Yarnold
Received      Fran Hibbert
From:         Sally Burns
              Marius Karsten
              Simon Williams
              Lorraine Taylor




The Charging consultation Group’s meeting opened Amy checked that everyone
had received and has a copy of the last meeting’s minutes, the issues log, the
Merton Managed accounts draft specification and this meeting’s agenda.


   1. Introductions and Apologies.

The above apologies were read out to the group.

   2. Minutes and Issues log from last meeting 16th September 2010

Amy asked if there were any matters arising from the last meetings minutes. No
comments were made.

Myrtle asked the when the financial reassessment letters would be sent out.
Amy answered that it will be roughly the 3rd week of March.

The group then discussed the issues in the issues log.

Issue Number 1 – Amy informed the group that since April 2010 there has been
11 people stopping services due to costs. Myrtle asked if there was a breakdown
of the client groups these customers were from. Amy replied that the customers
are all from the OP teams (east, west and reablement).

Issue Number 2 is closed.

Issue Number 3 is Closed.

Issue Number 4 - Invoicing issues. This was not discussed as it is agenda
number 5 for this meeting

Issue Number 5, 6 and 7 will be covered In Agenda number 3 Automatic
reassessments.

   3. Update regarding Automatic reassessment for April 2011


Amy informed the group that we now have the figures from the Department for
Work and Pensions (DWP), these confirm that the state benefits will be
increased by 3.1% from April 2011.

Amy has taken advice from the internal pensions department who have stated           Simon/
there is no national guidance on occupational/ private pensions. This could vary     Lorraine to
between 0 – 4.5% increase. His advice is to follow in line with the DWP of 3.1%.     agree
                                                                                     occupational
Myrtle commented that some private pensions will not be increased at all, and        pension
that this years 3.1% state pension increase is a one off and it would be better to   increase
have a lower figure increase that could be repeated every year. It was agreed
that the occupational pension increase would need to be agreed by Simon.

Amy checked that Myrtle and Lynne are still happy to check the customer
reassessment letters for next year as discussed in the last meeting. Myrtle          Amy to email
agreed that she will check the reassessment letters.                                 Lynne and
                                                                                     Myrtle the
Amy asked if the group have any other questions for the FA team. Nothing             reassessment
further was asked.                                                                   letters.


   4. Merton Managed Accounts (MMA)

Daniel Clark gave the group an overview of MMA. He asked the group if they
had any comments or questions regarding the draft service specification. Paddy
wanted to know how customers who have little capacity can sign timesheets for
their carers, as he is concerned that customers may sign 1 hours work when the
PA has only done ½ etc. Daniel explained that these kinds of customers would
not be on MMA. MMA is only suitable for customers who have capacity and are
able to understand what they are signing. Customers who do not have capacity
would need to go through Client Financial Affairs team.
Daniel explained that MMA should lower the chances of financial abuse, as the
council will manage some, if not the customer’s entire personal budget. Also as
pre paid cards are used in conjunction with MMAs, the customer and Merton will
be able to monitor all transactions and invoices paid by the MMA team.
Restrictions can also be placed on things such as cash withdrawals.

If anyone has any comments regarding the Draft MMA Service Spec please
contact Daniel on the direct payments duty email address
directpaymentsduty@merton.gov.uk

Paddy told the group that he is very worried about vulnerable customers who are
alone and ignored, he said he knows of situations where customers have been
left with no care after coming out of hospital and are forgotten about.

Paddy told the group that he has heard of carers that are working for agencies
and working from a ‘standard’ job specification the agencies are providing, and
not proving the care the direct payment customer requires.

Daniel told Paddy about how the support plans work, support planners and DP
support officers work with the customers to complete the forms. These support
plans should contain all of the needs and wants of the customer, and should
describe how the customer wants their care provided. No agency should be
providing an ‘agency standard’ care package. Every new customer to the
agency should be cared for as their support plans requests. Agencies should
also carry out their own risk/care assessment and discuss this with the client
before providing care.

Paddy said he does not think this is always the case and Daniel told paddy and
the group about some of the very detailed support plans that have been coming
though from support planners. Relevant parts of the support plan can be sent to
the agency and is what the agency should be working from.

Daniel said that he hopes that the support planning process will help to make
sure customers do get the care they require in the way they want to receive it.

Paddy asked how DP customer on MMA would be affected with support plans?
Will they be ignored?

Daniel explained that DP customers using agencies on MMA would not have
their support plan ignored because it would be the MMA officer who will arrange
services with the agencies and will explain what has been requested by the
customer in detail. The MMA officer would know what service provider hours etc
are in the support plan so would be able to see if this differs when paying the
agency’s monthly bills.

Myrtle asked Daniel about the prices of MMA. Daniel replied that MMA will be
charged at £15.75 a month with a £5.00 set up fee to cover the pre paid card.
There will also be a one off set up service charged at £19.95 (one off payment).

For customers who are assessed as needing a financial management service to
receive a DP, they will receive additional funds in their personal budget to pay
for such a service. If they are assessed as not having a need for a financial
management service they can choose to pay for the service at full cost.

Myrtle asked if DP customers using MMA will be able to use any personal
assistants (PA) or agencies they choose. Daniel said that they will be able to use
any PA or agency just as they currently can when using DP. Daniel explained
that all care agencies should be regulated by the CQC.

Saleem raised his concerns that once a customer is signed up to DP and then
an agency or PA starts the care, they are not checked on. Daniel and Amy
explained about the reviews that the DP team and the social workers carry out
after a customer is signed up. Daniel explained that the reviews are in place to
make sure that the care being provided as discussed in the support plan and to
make sure the customer is happy with the care provided. The pre paid card
service should help to combat any financial fraud and neglect as much as
possible by giving the team direct access to every customer’s accounts.

Myrtle asked how many staff members MMA will have. Daniel answered that the
DP team will start with one MMA officer and this officer should be able to
manage 100 customers.

Paddy asked how the transport costs and day centre unit costs have been
worked out. He has done his own costings, which don’t match these. Amy               Amy to speak
explained the detail that goes into calculating the unit costs, and stated she       to Andy/
knows Paddy has already given these costings to Andy Otterway-Searle. Amy            Marius about
will speak to Andy/ Marius to see if some guide can be given as to how these         the unit costs.
were worked out.                                                                     If it possible
                                                                                     these will be
   5. Update from invoice and Billing                                                circulated.

Vicky Murray gave a billing update. Because of the changes in Merton’s internal
home care teams, invoicing is 8 weeks behind. They are working to get this back
to 6 weeks behind, which they are nearly at.
Paddy asked if there have been any invoicing complaints. Vicky responded that
they have not received any complaints in months.


   6. Any Other Business

Myrtle asked at what point a financial assessment was carried out on a
customer. Amy answered that the FA request is raised when the Self
Assessment Questionnaire has been sent out to the customer. The FA should
be complete by the time the verified budget is complete. This way the customer
will know of any financial contribution before agreeing to receive any services
from Merton.

Paddy raised his concerns over the handover of care when someone leaves
hospital to social services, as his experience has been that this handover was
very inefficient.