Age, Home and Community Monitoring and Advisory Group minutes: June 2018

Welcome, introductions and apologies

Angela welcomed new and existing members to the meeting. Members introduced themselves stating the organisation they were representing.

1. Apologies were received from:

Anne-Marie Thomson, Scottish Government, Sarah Newton, Scottish Government

Julia Fitzpatrick, Horizon Housing Association; Helen Murdoch, Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association; Heather Noller, Carers Trust; Greig Henderson Fife Council; Anne Grove, Scottish Government, Nicola Dickie, COSLA; Robert Thomson, Care and Repair Scotland.

2. Minutes of last meeting (13 December 2017)

Glenda noted her name had not been included on the attendee list. The minutes will be amended to show Glenda as an attendee and thereafter added to the Scottish Government web pages.

3. Castle Rock Edinvar – Fortune Place evaluation

Heather Macnaughton, Head of Community Investment and Ciara Toland, the older Persons Services Co-ordinator from Castlerock Edinvar Housing Association spoke to the group about the learning from a recently completed evaluation of the Fortune Place, Edinburgh development.

Heather provided some history about the development and highlights from the report.

• Turnover of residents is much lower than in their other properties. 95% do not intend to leave in medium / long term.
• 77% said the quality of their lives had improved.
• 35% of tenants came from council social housing; 25% from owner occupation, 14% from the private rented sector and 2% from other housing associations.
• 42% felt less lonely; 88% appreciated the design features.

The group had a number of questions for Heather and Ciara and an informative discussion followed covering a range of issues such as - Wi-Fi provision, design and outside space, costs of the development, level of rents, heating costs, adaptations, supported tenancies, care packages, location, intergenerational living and age profile of tenants.

Ciara is happy to be contacted if anyone from the group have any further questions.

4. Age, Home and Community –The Next Phase 

Angela noted that a copy of the most recent version of the document had been sent out to members in advance of the meeting. The document has been agreed by Ministers and COSLA. It is in its final proof reading stage and will be published in the next 4 to 6 weeks. We will work with SG Comms and COSLA to arrange a launch event during the summer. The event will hopefully enable members of the group to be part of the launch. 

The group raised a number of points including having the document in accessible formats, awareness of discrimination of older adults with HIV and those not yet diagnosed, investigation of waiting lists to identify demand in local areas, transport which was identified as an issue in many areas not just rural locations, mental health of older people, allocations policy, content of the action plan, digital connectivity, internet access and mobile phone signals as part of technology enabled care, equality and diversity.  

It was also noted that it is important to connect with development in other policy areas such as technology care, social isolation and the framework for older people.

The group were keen to involve someone from Transport, either joining the group or to give a presentation on the work underway on accessible transport.

5. Refreshed Strategy Monitoring Framework 

The group had been sent a copy of the paper on the Monitoring Framework which had been prepared by Sarah Newton in SG analytical services. It sets out suggested outcomes and measures to identify progress on the strategy. Previously there were lots of indicators and we have tried to reduce them into a more manageable number. The group were asked for their comments.

Areas of interest included revised LHS guidance, disability delivery plan, national targets versus local targets particularly around wheelchair accessible housing, EHRC recommendations, Still Minding the Step publication, Age groups as some housing data is for 60+ but health data tends to be 65+, reach across Scotland – particularly with regard to advice services, availability of data on connectivity with particular relevance to TEC.

6. Chairing the Group

Angela noted that the group had the same chair for the last 5 years and asked if the group would consider whether agreeing a new chair would be appropriate now that the refreshed strategy is about to be published. The secretariat for the group will continue to be provided SG. She invited members to contact her for an informal chat if they wanted more information. An item on chairing arrangements would be added to the agenda for the December meeting.

7. Updates

• Health and Social Care – David Fotheringham

David mentioned the NHS 70th anniversary, mental health transformation to community based, 50 years since the social work act and more recently it has been 2 years since Health and Social care integration. Other issues they have been working on include care home closures and reclassification to retirement housing and the challenges that followed; social care reform and free personal care for those under 65 to come into force by 1 April 2019; Carers Act which came into force earlier this year to support carers and increase their rights.

• Age Scotland – Jim Eadie

Jim spoke about the guide housing for older people due to be published shortly. 10,000 copies are being printed and already have plans to distribute through various networks to ensure they reach their intended audience. University of Stirling are currently analysing results from data gathered from workshops, events and a wide ranging survey carried out by Age Scotland. The report should highlight good practice and case studies for housing and older people.

• I Hub Activity – Ruth Robin

Ruth said she is new in post and has had a busy 4 months making connections in many areas including mental health, disability and housing. Aware that poor housing results in higher costs to NHS. She has already improved connections between public health and housing. Continuing to make connections between health and housing.

8. Any other business

There was no other business

9. Date of next meeting

Next meeting will take place in December 2018. 

Housing and Independent Living

June 2018

Attendees and apologies

• Moira Bayne, Housing Options Scotland
• Ruth Robin, iHub
• Zhan McIntryre, SFHA
• Steve Byrne, Regional Tenants and Residents Forum
• Colin Stewart, Regional Tenants and Residents Forum
• Amanda Britain, TEC
• Glenda Watt, SOPA
• Fiona Taylor, West Lothian Council
• Jonathan Fair, McCarthy and Stone
• Jim Eadie, Age Scotland
• Callum Chomczuk, CIH
• Rohini Sharma Joshi, Trust Housing Association
• David Fotheringham, Scottish Government
• Karen Mechan, Scottish Government
• Barry Stalker, Scottish Government
• Angela O’Brien, Scottish Government (Chair)
• Margaret Irving, Scottish Government (Minutes)