Agenda item

Graeme Betts, Interim Director Adult Services, to report

Professor Graeme Betts, Interim Director of Adult Services, gave a presentation on the Vision and Strategy for Adult Social Care in Rotherham.

Adult Social Care

-          Provision of Social Care for adults had undergone enormous change over the past generation with the pace of change accelerating over recent years as the demand for more personalised services continued to grow and traditional models of care seem to be outdated

-          The approach was increasingly based on an asset model i.e. identifying with the person what they could do, what they had, who they knew and which community groups they were linked into, what their family and friends could do as carers and what the wider communities could offer

-           Improving the help and support for individuals who needed it at any specific time benefited the whole community as they were likely to be family and friends of people requiring support or who may come to need it

-          The changes had been reinforced by the introduction of the Care Act.  There had been an increasing development of care based on a personalised model with people enabled to live in their own homes and to access services, facilities and buildings as part of the wider community

-          The role of Adult Social Care had accordingly had to change and develop a strong partnership and influencing role.

Vision

-          The ambition in Rotherham was that adults with disabilities, older people and their carers were supported to be independent and resilient with the desired outcomes, that they lived good quality lives and their health and wellbeing was maximised

-          It was essential to recognise that during the course of someone’s live there may be times when they required support and care and health services needed to be prepared to intervene on those occasions

-          The aim should be to intervene appropriately to provide minimal support to enable the client to maintain their independence.

Strategy

-          In order to achieve the vision it was fundamental that a network of support be created including Council services, health services, private and third sector services and voluntary, community and faith groups, as well as friends, family and neighbours

-          Must recognise that the network of community resources needed development and investment and best delivered through a partnership with the third sector

-          Need to ensure that there was a “front door” which listened and addressed what people were requesting in a way which would support them to take control of the situation for themselves e.g. provision of information/advice, equipment or undertaking of a self-assessment

-          Aim of assessment to support the client to develop a solution which maximised them taking control and minimised interventions from the formal care sector

-          Focus on building prevention, rehabilitation and enablement throughout the system as well as one-off interventions such as telecare to give people back control and independence

-          Develop alternatives to traditional services e.g. promotion of Shared Lives, supported living, extracare schemes, homes suitable for older people, key ring schemes

-          Seek to minimise the use of residential and nursing care whilst recognising that there was a place for it in a care and health economy

-          Promote personalised services as alternatives to day services

-          Promote the development of integrated commissioning and delivery of services

-          Wide range of preventive services to reduce the need for intensive services plus investment in extra care and shared lives

Delivering the Strategy

-          Need for a series of inter-related commissioning strategies to be developed involving Council services (especially Adults, Children’s, Housing as well as Community Development and Community Safety), Health Services and other organisations where appropriate such as the Police

-          The Health and Wellbeing and Adult Safeguarding Boards would own the Strategy and delivered through a range of Boards and groups

-          The Department of Adult Social Services, as Statutory Office, would have responsibility for developing the Strategy and ensuring its delivery

Currently less than 10% of the population have input from Adult Social Care services and 22% of people over 85. Only a small percentage will need residential care but even so they should be as independent as possible and still engaging with the wider community.

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised/clarified:-

·           The Care Act had reinforced undertaking of full family assessments.  Although it was not stipulated in great detail due to it being a broad vision, that would be the direction of travel.  Discussion had taken place with the Interim Strategic Director of Children and Young Peoples’ Services and the Authority had signed up to the Memorandum of Understanding as children as carers.  Although the detail was not set out the whole ethos was there in the vision

·           It was the intention that the “front door” would provide everything that the client would need but Social Workers would also be part of the package.  They had the experience and knowledge and would be able to ascertain if a Health and Social Care Assessment was required

·           There was a recruitment campaign at the moment for the Shared Lives scheme with new promotional material available.  Getting the right people was critical and they were subject to thorough vetting.  It was hoped to double the size of the scheme

·           The Key Ring Scheme in Rotherham for people with learning disabilities worked really well.  In other parts of the country it had been developed for those with Mental Health issues and there was a keenness for that to happen in Rotherham.  Discussions had taken place with Housing colleagues on how to develop the scheme further

·           The new vision and strategy necessitated a culture change, including staff, with the focus on outcomes for the individual.

Resolved:-  (1) That the reports discussed at the last Select Commission be circulated to Members by the end of October.

(2) That liaison takes place with lead officers to determine the information required for the HSC meetings in December.