Agenda item
Motion Submitted on Notice - Occupational Therapy Shortage Impacting on Disabled Adaptations
Minutes:
The following motion was moved by Councillor Gareth Molineux and seconded by Councillor Glen Harrison under Council Procedure Rule A9:-
“That Council notes that:
· Occupational therapists provide life-changing support to people managing illness, injuries and a wide range of physical and mental health conditions. Uniquely, they enable people to carry out daily activities (‘occupations’) which are essential to health and happiness. This vital care helps people recover and build new skills to enjoy a full and independent life.
· There are currently 10 advertised occupational health based vacancies on Lancashire County Councils website with only 1 of these being designated for East Lancashire which covers Hyndburn.
· A report released in March 2017 by Health Education England (HEE) and The College of Occupational Therapists (COT) has highlighted national average vacancy rates for occupational therapists was 15.5% for NHS Trusts and 17.5% for Local Authorities. This compares to a national vacancy rate of 2.6% for the economy as a whole and 3% for the health and social care sector according to the most recent statistics from the ONS.
· The lack of Occupational Therapists employed by Lancashire County Council is having a detrimental effect on Applications for Disabled Adaptations Grants being referred to Hyndburn Borough Council.”
Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG’s) are mandatory grants of up to £30,000 to help less abled people live independently and safely in their own homes. These adaptations can be minor, such as installing walk in showers for residents with mobility issues or involving major building works to install a lift. Shortages of Occupational Therapists are causing delays and lower number of referrals to grant applications and therefore disabled residents from Hyndburn are missing out on being able to take advantage of these life changing grants.
“That Council resolves to:
Request the Chief Executive to write to the government to address this very serious issue by:-
· Re-adding Occupational Therapy to the priority occupation list.
· Provide assurances that it will protect the rights of qualified Occupational Therapists from elsewhere in the EU who are currently working in the UK and to remain here after the UK leaves the EU and for new applicants to be permitted to fill Occupational Therapist vacancies in the future.
Request the Chief Executive to write to the Leader of Lancashire County Council to request:
· That LCC take a more innovative approach to filling Occupational Therapy Vacancies.
· That LCC Social Services take a more pro-active approach in making referrals to Hyndburn Borough Council for Disabled Adaptation Grants.
Request the Chief Executive to write to all the G.P. Practices in Hyndburn:
· To inform them of Disabled adaptation grants, who qualifies and how to apply for them.
· To request that they refer any patient to Lancashire County Council who they feel will benefit from a disabled adaptation grant.
After a debate, the motion was put to the vote and declared carried.
Resolved (1) That this Council notes that:
· Occupational therapists provide life-changing support to people managing illness, injuries and a wide range of physical and mental health conditions. Uniquely, they enable people to carry out daily activities (‘occupations’) which are essential to health and happiness. this vital care helps people recover and build new skills to
enjoy a
full and independent life.
·
There are currently 10 advertised
occupational health based vacancies on Lancashire County Councils
website with only 1 of these being designated for East Lancashire
which covers Hyndburn.
· A report released in March 2017 by Health Education England (HEE) and The College of Occupational Therapists (COT) has highlighted national average vacancy rates for occupational therapists was 15.5% for NHS Trusts and 17.5% for Local Authorities. This compares to a national vacancy rate of 2.6% for the economy as a whole and 3% for the health and social care sector according to the most recent statistics from the ONS.
· The lack of Occupational Therapists employed by Lancashire County Council is having a detrimental effect on Applications for Disabled Adaptations Grants being referred to Hyndburn Borough Council.
Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG’s) are mandatory grants of up to £30,000 to help less abled people live independently and safely in their own homes. These adaptations can be minor, such as installing walk in showers for residents with mobility issues or involving major building works to install a lift. Shortages of Occupational Therapists are causing delays and lower number of referrals to grant applications and therefore disabled residents from Hyndburn are missing out on being able to take advantage of these life changing grants.
(2) That this Council resolves to request the Chief Executive to write to the government to address this very serious issue by:-
· Re-adding Occupational Therapy to the priority occupation list.
· Provide assurances that it will protect the rights of qualified Occupational Therapists from elsewhere in the EU who are currently working in the UK and to remain here after the UK leaves the EU and for new applicants to be permitted to fill Occupational Therapist vacancies in the future.
(3) That this Council resolves to request the Chief Executive to write to the Leader of Lancashire County Council to request:-
· That LCC take a more innovative approach to filling Occupational Therapy Vacancies.
· That LCC Social Services take a more pro-active approach in making referrals to Hyndburn Borough Council for Disabled Adaptation Grants.
(4) That this Council resolves to request the Chief Executive to write to all the G.P. Practices in Hyndburn:-
· To inform them of Disabled adaptation grants, who qualifies and how to apply for them.
· To request that they refer any patient to Lancashire County Council who they feel will benefit from a disabled adaptation grant.