Carers Partnership Board

Minutes
8 December 2015
Papworth Village Hall, Papworth Everard CB23 3RD
Present
MB Monica Bennett
KC Kadie Chapman
SC Sally Cleghorn
RC Richard Cross
EF Elaine Fleet
LG Laura Green
GL Graham Lewis
SM Siobhan MacBean
PM Pauline Mansfield
JM Joseph McCallon
AM Andy McGowan
SdP Stuart de Prochnow
BR Brian Reynolds

Chair, Carer Representative

Carer Representative
Administration Officer, Cambridgeshire Alliance
Carer Representative
Service Development Manager, Carers, CCC
Carers Support Team Manager, Carers Trust
Cambridgeshire
Development Officer, Cambridgeshire Alliance
Service Development Manager, Disabled
Childrens Service, CCC
Service Manager, Making Space
Information and Advice, Papworth Trust
Young Carers Project Worker, Centre 33
Carer Representative
Dementia Carers Support Service

1.0 Welcome and Apologies

Apologies: Christine Walker, Sue Honour, Lynne OBrien, Joseph Simon, Kate
Rees, Caroline Tyrell-Jones, Lenja Bell, Zo Nicholas, Linda Mynott, Heather
Davison (HD), Zo Nicholas.
2.0 Minutes of previous meeting and Matters arising
The Minutes were agreed.
Wheelchair Services CAIL has worked with Pinpoint and Healthwatch to develop
a survey. The survey has now been sent out. GL appealed for everyone to
circulate it.
3.0

Feedback from Carer Representatives, Carers Trust, Pinpoint, Centre 33

3.1 Keeping Warm Plan did not have information about Carers Trust
Cambridgeshire. SdP was asked to feed this back.

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LG said where possible staff attending awareness events take leaflets. She will
feedback to Carers Trust but they were aware there had been a problem.
3.2 SdP Care Network the survey among carers/ dont know what the questions
are/ or its purpose. Could the issues be included in the Carers Assessment?
LG will seek clarification when she meets Carers Network.
EF wasnt aware of this and wondered if the main theme was about something else.
Action: GL will contact Care Network about this
3.3 RC raised the subject of a 7.3 underspend set aside for carers. He said Carers
Trust Cambridgeshire has the figures.
EF asked for clarification
Action: GL will email HB at CTC.
3.4 Carers Trust Cambridgeshire (CTC)
1. Welcomed the Councils statement that there would be no disruption to
services following the end of the contractual arrangement between CCG and
UnitingCare.
2. CTC has become the preferred provider for Norfolk for carers support
services including young carers and young adult carers.
3. Referrals have doubled since the start of 2015.
4. The Carers Trust is running a national survey. Feedback from the Carers
Partnership Board would be welcome.
5. Currently working with County Council on the transfer of people from the
ICER scheme to the What If Plan. They aim to contact everyone on the ICER
scheme by the end of the financial year.

4.0

Feedback from other meetings

4.1

Transport Focus Group

SdP reported that the revised leaflet has been sent out for comment. It is
important to get the final leaflet out to those who need this service.
GL The Transport Focus Group had been consulted earlier in the year but what
was sent back by the Council did not reflect this earlier input.

5.0

Papworth Trust on benefits and how many cases go to Tribunal

Attendance Allowance (for 65+) claims are usually successful.
PIP 15%-20% go to tribunal. They are not always refused but people are
getting less than on DLA.

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Tribunals ask how far can you walk? They do not ask about pain when
walking. If someone is not awarded the High Rate then they lose access to
a car.
The Office for Budget Responsibility expects 26% of those currently on
lifetime awards will not get awards.
The situation is undoubtedly getting tougher and the effect on mental
health is often overlooked.

Q&A
LG reports negative experiences of PIP assessments.
MB this can affect peoples mental health.
SM Childrens Services have found the initial letter confusing, difficult and not
clear about the purpose of a home visit.
KC from experience historic paperwork is not taken into account.
JM - it is important to get all records updated via the GP. Even videos could help
although not everyone agreed on this point.
SM the County Council website has useful factsheets about PIP criteria.
Action: SM will send the link to the factsheets for circulation.
GL The initial PIP interview is over the phone. Is there any guidance on this?
JM Papworth Trust can help with this or else do a home visit.
LG suggested she could put this in the Carers Magazine. She invited JM to visit
Carers Trust.
GL not everyone knows where to look so it would help if people were better
informed. MB thought a simpler form would help.
KC how long are claims taking?
JM theres a 6 month warning.
SM confirmed that payment continues until the assessment is done.
JM if a claimant is likely to lose a car it is possible to get 2000 towards a new
car and necessary adaptations.
LG the July-Sept 2015 Carers Magazine had some information on this.
6.0

Break

7.0

Carers Strategy update

1. The Carers Strategy is an all age strategy so it has to go before both the
Childrens and the Adults Committees.
2. Progress is good and EF has started to draft the final version following
good feedback from the survey.
3. Letters to all those who have an ICER are about to be sent. ICER scheme
ends in March and people can now transfer to a What If? Plan. Those who
dont transfer to a What If? Plan will be removed from the system.
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4. Carers Budget expects a cut of 300,000 for 2016/17. Carers Team will
therefore be looking at assessments and services but have invested more
in prevention. They are targeting Personal Budgets on those who need
them most so they can maintain a realistic level of support.
Action: GL to circulate information about the cuts.
Q&A
RC this gives greater impetus to his earlier query on 7.3m
EF wondered if this amount was perhaps connected to the Better Care Fund.
Because Cambridgeshire County Council doesnt have joint commissioning the
Better Care Fund money went to Health.
GL he and Beth attended that Adults Committee on the Children, Family and
Adults Strategy. He encouraged people to feedback about the effect of the cuts.
LG the transfer from ICERs to What If? Plans will not be pending review
assessments.
8.0

Carers Trust Cambridgeshire

Information and advice at the right time
The transfer of staff from the County to CTC has been beneficial.
The introduction of the What If? Plan allows for 24 hour emergency staff.
Family Carers Prescription Service. The carer needs a GPs referral to
access this. It is intended to prevent future crises.
Any carer can access CTC at any time. Even if the cared for person does
not receive services CTC can still provide information.
There is a big drive to work in partnership to enable partners to identify
carers.
500 people have been trained to be Carer Ambassadors.
Q&A
SdP the Care Act wants to avoid having people provide the same information
repeatedly. If you receive services you go to the Council, if self-pay then can go
direct to CTC. Is the service widely known?
KC who activates the What If? Plan?
LG You register your What If? Plan with CTC and receive a card with a
registered number. To activate the plan phone CTC. Anyone can register a What
If? Plan. This is separate from a Carers Assessment.

9.0

Centre 33
Centre 33 supports young carers up to 19.
They now have the contract to deliver Young Carers services across the
county from December 2015.

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The My series focuses on the support a young carer needs as well as

raising awareness. Many young carers are bullied.
Aims to alert professionals. On average it takes 3 years before a young
carer accesses support.
Aims to have a comprehensive programme in schools. By January the
programme will be in 13 schools.
Aims to train Young Carers Champions.
AM suggested the Board might like to invite someone to speak about the
Think Family approach.

Action: SC to circulate the presentation.

10.0

Adult Social Care Forum

GL Disclosure and Barring Service. Its still not clear who should pay for
this and CCC is still working on it.
Transport as discussed earlier under feedback from other meetings.
Advocacy event for potential providers on Dec 9th
Community Navigators event on Dec 9th.
The Physical Disabilities and Sensory Impairment (PDSI) Partnership
Board identified an issue around non-attendance of agency carers and the
financial implications. A formal complaint has been made. The Board will
be collecting more evidence of similar cases.

11.0 Action Log

Hospital representative. GL said that HD has identified someone from
Hinchingbrooke. LG added that CTC has staff embedded in Addenbrookes.
Action: GL to follow up
Education representative as the CPB is now an all-age carers group there
should be someone on the Board.
Action: GL to speak to SM
Think Family
Action: SM to find a rep and inform GL.
12.0

Dates of future meetings

On the position of Young Carers MB referred back to the minutes of April
2013. She feels strongly that Young Carers as future adult carers should
be represented on the Board.
GL had contacted each member of the CPB and asked their opinion. 60%
of Board membership agreed.
MB thanked everyone for their feedback.
GL The CPB will always need to reflect and adapt to the different needs of
independent members.

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13.0

Any other business

28 January Young Carers Awareness Day
Cambridgeshire Alliance will hold another Cross Board event on 16 Feb.
The general theme will be the wide range of activities available to people
with disabilities to be held at Comberton School Sports Centre. This is
during half term and Young Carers are welcome.

Next meeting: Saturday February 6, 10:30 12:30pm, Youth Wing, Meadows

Community Centre, 1 St Catharines Rd, Cambridge CB4 3XJ
Carer Representatives meet beforehand at 10am

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