National Advisory Board Meeting Minutes – 4 September 2024

Welcome and apologies

Chair, Dr Ruth Hussey, welcomed members to the meeting.

Attendees

• Dr Ruth Hussey (Chair),
• Gillian Baranski (Chief Inspector, Care Inspectorate Wales),
• Kevin Barker (Head of Childcare and Play, Care Inspectorate Wales),
• Valerie Billingham (office of the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales),
• Órlaith Brennan (Provider – Domiciliary Support Service),
• Kate Cubbage (Carers Trust),
• Stuart Davies (Provider – Domiciliary Support Services),
• Rachel Harris (Provider – Full day Care),
• Carole Jones (Carer and Service User),
• Emma Mackintosh (Secretariat, Care Inspectorate Wales),
• Peter Max (Provider – Residential Care),
• Melanie Minty (Care Forum Wales),
• Richard Payne (Secretariat, Care Inspectorate Wales),
• Vicky Poole (Deputy Chief Inspector, Care Inspectorate Wales),
• Claire Protheroe (PACEY),
• Margaret Rooney (Deputy Chief Inspector, Care Inspectorate Wales),
• Rachel Thomas (office of the Children’s Commissioner for Wales),
• Sharon Williams (care home manager), Jenny Williams (ADSS).

Apologies

• Natalie Fletcher (Provider – Children’s Care Home),
• Bethan Louise Kay (Local Authority Early Years Officer and service user of childcare services),
• Julia Nawell (relative of service user of adult services),
• Melanie Davies (Carer, Adults Services). 

Actions from previous Minutes – 6 June 2024

Minutes from the last meeting were agreed.

1 Opening conversation and Q&A

• Dr Ruth Hussey thanked Julia Nawell for her contribution as she announced her retirement.

2 Update from Gillian Baranski

• Brief overview of the new political structure and its implications for CIW.
• Update on current recruitment challenges at CIW.
• Anticipation of the Whitehall budget and its implications for Welsh Government.
• Learning from CQC and Ofsted reports to improve CIW’s practices.

3 Voices from members

• Discussion on disabled carers’ assessments and the challenges faced by carers.
• Emphasis on the importance of prevention and support for families before they reach crisis point.

4 Reflections chapter for the Chief Inspector's report

• Importance of leadership at all levels and continuous improvement.
• Discussion on the value of sharing good practices.
• Emphasis on the importance of prevention and the need to make it explicit in CIW’s work.

5 Discussion about CIW’s strategic priorities for 2025 and beyond

• Themed inspections and their potential benefits.
• Importance of involving people in CIW’s work and ensuring ratings reflect outcomes for people. 

Actions

• Provide performance data at the February 2025 meeting. This data should focus on services that have not received an inspection within the usual timeframes.
• Share information with inspectors about the Arts Council Wales leadership programme.
• Strengthen the mention of the importance of prevention in CI reflections chapter.
• Send out embargoed CI report to NAB members on 12th November, 48 hours pre-publication.
• Add ‘shared priorities’ between organisations in the reflections chapter.