Minutes of AGM held on 13 March 2013

at The Lion Hotel, Belper

The Chairman, Michael Poxton opened the meeting at 10.15am. He thanked everyone for coming and giving up their valuable time.

Minutes of the Last Meeting

A copy of the minutes of the 2012AGM were circulated to everyone present and proposed as a true record by Brian Rosenberg and seconded by David Poxton. All present accepted the minutes.

Chairmans Report

The Chairman went through his Report from last year and updated the points from this adding in events and progress during the last 12 months.

Below is a copy of the Chairman’s report from the 2012 AGM:

2011-12 has been a very busy, perhaps even a momentous year, and rather than end this report by thanking the Committee for their time, effort and support freely given I would like to start by thanking them.

Some Members will be attending this meeting fully briefed and conversant with most, if not all, that has gone on; but I am aware from our extensive telephone communications with Member’s or their staff that some will not be so well placed and have come this afternoon to find out what has being going on. This report is therefore intended as an introduction so we may subsequently have a useful discussion with everyone here having a sound knowledge of the issues.

Joint work with Nottinghamshire Care Association (NCA)

  • Last year I said a formal merger of the two Associations had the full support of both Executive Committees. This turned out not to be the case with the NCA deciding not to even consult their membership on the issue.
  • Consequently your executive had no option but to implement the alternate proposal of forming a Limited Company. I am pleased to report that this was done.
  • Only one formal joint meeting was held with NCA which took place on 11 October 2011 to hear an update from our joint solicitor David Collins on our joint complaint together with the Lincolnshire Care Association against the Continuing Care Panel.

Continuing Care

Legal Dispute with the PCTs

  • As from 1st April 2011 the East Midlands Procurement and Commissioning Transformation assumed the role previously carried out by the NHS re:source hub. As no satisfaction could be obtained from them we decided to make an official complaint to the CCP regarding the price offered to us for Continuing Care

Local Authorities

  • This year, as in all previous years, a great deal of time and energy has been spent trying to improve fees from Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council.
  • We are still well below a ‘fair price for care’ although those of you who attended the joint conference with Nottinghamshire Care Association will appreciate what is most relevant is whether we get “a fair profit for care.” While this of course is something that depends a lot on individual business models we really have to accept this to be a 12% return on investment at present at least as far as the Public purse is concerned.
  • A recent (24th January 2012) meeting with Bill Robertson the Strategic Director of Adult Care indicated:
  • They regard inflation as only being minimal and seem quite oblivious to facts such as National Insurance going up again. DCC propose only 2.0% from April 2012.
  • It was confirmed at a County Cabinet Committee on 20th February 2012 that they still intend to close their own Part III Homes over the next few years, subject to consultation and by doing so will hit their 40% target of people in care, only two new Homes will be built.
  • In the future the DCC provision will be reduced to a minimum concentrating on dementia (8 x 16 beds) and respite care (8 x 16 beds) with 8 new 32 bed Homes being built one in each District Council area.
  • We have also been active in the Consultative Forum with Derbyshire County Council, Derbyshire PCT and CQC where we have had the opportunity to raise other issues on behalf of the sector, including Training, Equipment and Quality Care.
  • Derby City Council are also following a similar route to the County by phasing out their own residential Homes for the elderly to concentrate on dementia care and extra care sheltered housing. They were collaborating with DCC on a dementia rate but we are extremely disappointed that while the City introduced a dementia rate of £30 per week extra the County did not. L&B have recently estimated the extra cost of dementia care to be £90 per week.

The updates to this report were that Derby City had increased their fee rates by 6% - well done to Gail Winfield and the Sub Group for the work that they put into achieving this.

There was an update on the position with Councils and the questionnaire that had been sent out by Derbyshire County Council and the hard work that the Committee had done on this along with David Collins. Although we were not entirely happy with the final draft of the questionnaire, we had to agree due to timescales. The Chairman pointed out that the response to the request for data from Providers had been very disappointing and only 30 responses had been received by the Council. This indicates to the Council that homes are happy and there is not a problem which does not help us with our continuing arguments and negotiations with them. The Association have been pressing the Council for their analysis of theses 30 responses and David Collins has been threatening court action. They had agreed they would have the results available by 6 March which was then changed to 12 March – as of today; we have still not heard anything!! We need these results in writing before we can meet with them.

The April fee increase is not going to take place – they have agreed to backdating increases to April 2011. We have also asked them for an interim increase in April 2013.

The Chairman explained that David Collins was due to attend the AGM today to give an update, but due to illness cannot be here. He said that it had been an extremely difficult year and the Committee had been working very hard with little support from members, which is very disappointing, and soul destroying. The Committee work very hard on behalf of providers in Derbyshire and yet cannot get any help or support from them.

The Chairman then asked Gail Winfield to give a brief update on the work the sub group had been doing with Derby City Council. Gail gave an update and asked for volunteers to join the sub group – we need more support from the City providers.

Brian Rosenberg pointed out that if we have to take the route of Judicial Review, then the apathy of Providers needs to change. The Committee cannot continue to fight without the support of its members. Currently we do not have any strength or credibility with the Councils.

Treasurer’s Report

The Treasurer, Richard Whitehouse went through the accounts and a copy of the Income and Expenditure sheet was given to all in attendance. He explained that the majority of the money had been spent on legal fees and stressed how important it was for homes to contribute to funds by paying their annual membership subscriptions and also to contribute to the “Fighting Fund”.

These accounts were proposed by Pierre Falleth and seconded by Brian Ballin.

Election of Committee

Michael Poxton thanked the committee for all the work they had put in this year and announced that he wished to stand down as Chairman. Brian Rosenberg said he would take on the role of Chairman – this was proposed by David Poxton and seconded by Richard Whitehouse. Everyone present was in agreement. Brian accepted the position.

The remaining committee members agreed to carry on in their positions for a further 12 months.

A.O.B.

There were no further items for discussion.

The Chairman then opened the meeting for general discussion.

The meeting closed at 12.05pm

LIST OF ATTENDEES

Committee Members:

Michael Poxton

David Poxton

Pierre Falleth

Brian Rosenberg

Richard Whitehouse

Brian Ballin

Gail Winfield

Yvonne Taylor

Providers:

Nigel Cumberland – Bramble Lodge

Deepak Jaiswal – The Green

Robert Kirkwood – White Griffin Holdings

Morag Vaughan – Holbrook Hall

Leanne Hickman – Mapleleaf House

Hanif Ladhani – Brookholme

Dave Lock – Old Vicarage

Louise Boardmen - Western Mount Lodge

J Brownhill – Western Mount Lodge

Gerald Poxton – Ashmere Care