Agenda item

Lancashire Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Partnership - Update on the Accelerated Progress Plan

Minutes:

Zoe Richards, Senior Programme Manager for SEND (Lancashire and South Cumbria, Hilary Fordham, Morecambe Bay Clinical Commission Group (CCG), and Dave Carr, Head of Service Policy, Information and Commissioning (Start Well) introduced the item.  It was noted that the information presented related to the December highlight report.

 

Each action in the report was taken in turn and members provided comments to each action.

 

Action One: Leaders' Understanding of Local Area

 

In relation to Action One: Leaders' Understanding of Local Area, the following key messages were noted:

 

·  The two new SEND Partnership members of staff had both commenced employment on 4 January.

·  The inaugural Integrated Care System Parent Reference Group had been held in December, the feedback from which was extremely positive.

·  Pilot feedback mechanisms had commenced in January.

·  The workshop to continue to improve leaders' understanding of the local area had taken place in January and members would be updated at the next meeting of the SEND Sub-Committee.

·  Work was on-going in relation to providing layers of education, care and health data, which would be collaborated into dashboards and subsequently analysed. 

 

In response to a query over turning the data into intelligence, it was reported that a data-flow model had been designed to support the understanding of education outcomes, with the layers of data being broken down into annual, half-yearly, quarterly and monthly layers, which were overlaid together to provide intelligence that could be analysed and used in deciding on the next steps to be taken. 

 

·  The pandemic continues to pressurise Business Intelligence Teams within health providers and, in response to a query, an assurance was given that this had been escalated with the two outstanding Trusts – Southport & Ormskirk and Mersey Care, and were currently being addressed.  It was confirmed that an update would be provided in the February highlight report to the SEND Sub-Committee, when the situation would in all likelihood be more optimistic.

·  An update on the performance framework would be provided at the next meeting and members were asked to consider any areas they felt should be covered over the next month to ensure all relevant information is included.

 

Action 2: Joint Commissioning

 

In relation to Action 2: Joint Commissioning, the following key messages were noted:

 

·  The mapping of special nursing services had been completed, as had the mapping and reviewing of incontinence services across Lancashire, with further work still taking place. 

·  Current policy arrangements in each Integrated Personal Commissioning (ICP) had been identified and a process of engagement was on-going to obtain feedback.

·  The commissioning framework paper presented to the Children and Young People's Commissioning Network had now received approval and had been shared with members of the SEND Sub-Committee.

·  The Lancashire Commissioning Group held its first meeting in December 2020 and a considerable amount of work was taking place to jointly review data and intelligence to assess services and support the decision-making process.

·  Identification of the Special Schools Public Health School Nurses had been completed and the information had recently been uploaded to the Schools Portal.

·  The transition process for adopting a new continence policy was still outstanding.  Whilst the framework would be agreed and implemented across each area, some commissioning gaps had been identified, and measures were being taken to address this.

 

Action 3: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Pathway

 

In relation to Action 3: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Pathway, the following key messages were noted:

 

·  Work had taken place on the recovery plan process, to reduce the number of children and young people on the Autism Spectrum Disorder pathway, with Clinical Commissioning Groups being issued with contract letters to provider for the completion of the recovery plan and outcome measures.  Parents and carers on the Integrated Care System wide reference group had also been updated about the assessment pathway.

·  A mapping exercise had been undertaken in December 2020 to identify the support available to parents, which revealed further communication work would be needed around commissioned services to third party agencies that deliver services on behalf of the NHS.

·  The gap and demand analysis report had recently been received.

·  The Neuro-Development Co-ordinator posts had now been advertised and it was hoped that appointments would be made in the near future.

·  Work was taking place with an NHS provider to look at alternative ways of managing and delivering the quality of outputs from private providers and, although this was delaying the overall project in terms of the recovery plan, this would enable higher quality support to families.

 

Following a query regarding the additional support that had been agreed for families on the Autism Spectrum Disorder Pathway, it was confirmed that a range of support was available, which should be offered in different ways to build interest and raise awareness.  Schools had also offered digital access to families to use their systems and work was due to commence to action this.  In addition, all families are contacted on a regular basis to update them on their pathway.

 

With regard to the Integrated Care System wide reference group for parents, children and young people that was due to be established in the near future, it was clarified that there was no issue in linking in with parents and carers and connecting with the broad spectrum of children and young people living with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

 

Action 4: Transitions in Health Care

 

In relation to Action 4: Transitions in Health Care, the following key messages were noted:

 

·  Data requirements for transitions had recently been agreed and reported to the SEND Partnership Board.

·  An agreement was now in place for the model for each provider – 'Ready, Steady, Go – Hello', which had been nationally co-produced and had a nationally recognised approach to the transition approach.  Feedback from some providers indicated that the model would need adapting in some circumstances, particularly for those children and young people with more complex needs.

·  Adult Services had not yet engaged with the transition agenda due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Following the presentation, the following were clarified:

 

·  Adult Services by its very nature, delivers a diverse range of services, and all providers should have multi-agency panels in place to look at every child/young person from the age of 14+ to ensure they were on the most appropriate pathway for their transition to Adult Services. 

·  Each provider should also have a SEND Champion, who would lead their respective SEND Improvement Group and report to the Integrated Care System wide SEND Champions Network.

 

Action 5: Local Offer

 

In relation to Action 5: The Local Offer, the following key messages were noted:

 

·  The Local Offer Development Officer commenced employment on 4 January 2021.

·  As the work on the directory of services was focussing on providing meaningful and relevant information, the completion date had been delayed.  The content of the directory needed to include information on education provision, Lancashire's short break providers and more health information.  Once implemented, the local offer would need to be made more easily accessible by raising awareness and responding to feedback.

·  A collaborative bid for non-recurrent funding to strengthen the health input of the local offer had been submitted to NHS England and an update would be provided at the next committee meeting.

·  In addition to the website, social media was seen as a key way of disseminating information on the local offer and the Local Offer Development Officer was developing information for social media platforms that would further attract children and young people.

 

Resolved: That; 

 

  1. The current progress of and risks and challenges on the five areas of concern in the Accelerated Progress Plan (APP) were noted;
  2. With regard to Transitions in Health Care, more detailed information in relation to Transitions in Health Care would be drafted and disseminated to members of the Sub-Committee in the form of a diagram to explain the different groups and how they would connect at service provider level, along with a summary of the Ready, Steady, Go – Hello model and more detailed information of the numbers of children and young people per panel; and
  3. The YouTube video uploaded by the Local Offer Development Officer as a means of introduction would be forwarded to members of the Sub-Committee in order to see ways in which social media platforms raise awareness.

Supporting documents: