Agenda item

To consider the report of the Task and Finish Group.

People Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 2 March 2017 and its comments will be reported.

The Chair of the Task and Finish Group, Councillor Robson, presented the report of the Task and Finish Group, which had met on four occasions, setting out its findings and recommendations to the People Scrutiny Committee and Executive.

The Group had included representatives from Exeter Dementia Action Alliance, the Alzheimer’s Society and the Community Participation Officer from John Lewis. A valuable insight had been provided by members of the Torbay Dementia Leadership Group who had visited the Customer Service Centre to observe the front line service and facilities from the point of view of a person with dementia. The Torbay Dementia Leadership Group would share this report and details of the recommendations with the Local Clinical Commissioning Group, the emerging Dementia Action Alliance in Teignbridge and Newton Abbot and, at a national level, with the Alzheimer’s Society Central Office.

Councillor Robson advised that, should an additional budget be required in respect of the recommendations to investigate a second toilet/improvements to the existing toilet including clearer signage in the Customer Service Centre, then a further report would be brought back to Members.

Members welcomed the work of the Task and Finish Group and supported dementia friendly staff training being rolled out to all customer facing staff including housing and cleansing. They noted that the measures being put in place would assist others with disabilities and asked that this report be taken to the Exeter Health & Wellbeing Board.

The Portfolio Holder for Economy proposed that Exeter BID and Exeter Cultural Partnership should be also encouraged to adopt a dementia friendly approach and they should be added to recommendation 14. This was agreed by Members.

People Scrutiny Committee considered the report at its meeting on 2 March 2017 and its comments were reported.

RESOLVED that:-

(1)        organisations such as the Alzhimer’s Society, memory cafes and Age Concern be encouraged to apply for allotments for use by those with dementia;

(2)        the work of this Task and Finish Group in a press and social media release be outlined, highlighting that the Council can offer appointments later in the day, upon request;

(3)        what information sharing there is already between Council departments in respect of vulnerable individuals, such as those with dementia and investigate the process for recording and sharing new information be established;

(4)        support for dementia friendly staff training across the Council, encouraging staff to become Dementia Champions be continued;

(5)        to look into providing different modules of more in depth training for officers who work directly with members of the public;

(6)        dementia training as a compulsory requirement before a Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Driver’s licence is granted be explored;

(7)        dementia friendly engagement is reflected and considered in the social inclusivity dimension of evaluating procurements;

(8)        trained front line staff be required to wear dementia friendly badges and a forge-me-not sign to be placed in a prominent place in the Customer Service Centre;

(9)        the viability of providing a second toilet and/or carry out improvements to the existing toilet (including access) in the Customer Service Centre, subject to costings and available resources be investigated;

(10)      clear signposting for the toilet in the Customer Service Centre, subject to costings and available resources be provided;

(11)      a higher level of dementia awareness training for security staff be provided;

(12)      the potential for dementia friendly red coat tours be investigated;

(13)      information concerning dementia friendly activities is available at the tourist information centre;

(14)      such organisations as the Devon Wildlife Trust, Active Exeter, Exeter BID and Exeter Cultural Partnership be encouraged to adopt a dementia friendly approach in the provision of activities;

(15)      whether a similar review of other front line services within the Council should be undertaken at this stage and, if so, to prioritise the order for review; and

(16)      this report be shared with the Exeter Health & Wellbeing Board.