A councillor has asked how Orkney’s Integration Joint Board (IJB) will avoid being “shocked” in future after the board viewed the latest update on issues with the county’s service for children and young people in need of care and protection.
This goes back to an inspection, led by the Care Inspectorate, carried out between August and October 2019.
Much-needed improvements were pointed out in key child protection processes, work to improve accountability and modernisation were also needed, and there were failings in the self-evaluation process.
These are just a few of the areas in need of improvement identified.
However, a damning report delivered at the start of 2020 said inspectors weren’t confident that these improvements could actually be made without additional support and expertise.
The story since the delivery of that original report has been more positive. Updates have shown that improvements have indeed been made.
Progress in the right direction
At this week’s meeting of the IJB, the board members viewed the second and latest update on the issue from inspectors.
The IJB is made of up both councillors and members of NHS Orkney. It oversees many of the county’s health and social care services.
The interim head of children, families and justice services and chief social work officer is Jim Lyon. He said the update was positive, while still highlighting the areas where there are challenges.
He said it showed that the partners involved in the IJB “were headed in the right direction” in resolving the situation.
However, the shock that the original report gave to the members of the Orkney IJB obviously still remains.
Councillor Rachael King sought assurances that the board members would never again be unaware that there was such a serious issue with one of the services under the Orkney IJB and wouldn’t be surprised by the findings of a report.
‘Are young people safe?’
She said: “We’ve all seen these update reports over a significant period of time and in multiple settings.
“Each time it comes, I remind myself back to that moment that original inspection report came out and how shocked we all were and the seriousness of it.
“Part of the shock we felt at this was that we felt we had no line of sight. We didn’t know that this was the state the services were in. This was across all partners.
“How do we ensure that we have that absolute line of sight going forward?
“That we never get into that position again where something comes before us, like this inspection report, that causes this reverberation and the devastating impact that it’s had.
“Yes, we can change procedures and change systems. But, at the end of the day, are the young people in our community safe? Do they feel like they can access the services they need?
“How do we, across the partnership, have that assurance that we will never experience that level of shock again?”
Mr Lyon replied. He said self-evaluation would be critical in addressing the point raised by Councillor King.
Improvements could also be made when it comes to communicating information to the IJB members. This would be done through regular scrutiny and the way future reports are presented, Mr Lyon said.
Enough improvements have been made that the care inspectorate isn’t asking for a third review. However, it will be looking for an update from the partners involved in the Orkney IJB in spring next year.
- Board members also heard an update on the £13.4m new care home being built in the west of Kirkwall.
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