Residents lead the way in shaping social care

Shropshire Council’s Cabinet, at their meeting on Wednesday 29 June 2011, are to be asked to support the creation of a dynamic new vision for adult social care in Shropshire.  This vision and proposed change programme called ‘Live Life: Your Way’ will lead to a new and better service, firmly putting local people at the centre of how they want to receive their support. 

‘Live Life: Your Way’, will be the biggest consultation and transformation of adult social care in the history of the county and will revolutionise the way the council and its partners deliver these services in the future. 

The profile of adult social care has risen dramatically, both nationally and locally. Shropshire has one of the highest proportions of people aged 85 and over in the UK, and is transforming to respond to the opportunities as well as the challenges posed by an aging population, the caring responsibilities that go with it and the rising expectations of people who need social care services now and in the future. 

As a result of these changes, Shropshire Council recognises the absolute need to change the way we support the most vulnerable members of our community, enabling people needing care to become more active and participating citizens, helping people to lead the lives they wish to lead.

Councillor Keith Barrow, Leader of the Council, said:-

“We need to set a clear and ambitious programme that will transform adult social care in a way that will break down social inequalities, open doors to new opportunities and turn current aspirations into reality.  These changes are not just desirable, they are absolutely crucial if we are to truly revolutionise the way we support vulnerable people.  This will enable us to deliver a truly modernised service that is fit for the future and is tailored to the needs of our customers.” 

If approved by Cabinet members, the vision will lead to the development of a new strategy which will help shape and develop the future provision of adult social care in Shropshire. The strategy will focus strongly on working together, prevention, enabling, maximising independence, and providing targeted support where it is really needed.

Ann Hartley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for adult social care said:

“We cannot make significant progress without putting people at the heart of this change. We must empower them to be the driving force to set the stage for a new social care model, which is owned and driven by the people who use it.  By working together, we will develop a new shared vision and strategic direction based on trust, honesty, empathy and mutual collaboration.  This will underpin all future service delivery and meet the changing needs and aspirations of the people of Shropshire.  The views of people who use adult social care services, their families, carers and partners are imperative to this consultation and I would urge you to get involved.  This is your opportunity to help us deliver your services, helping you live your life, your way.”

The countywide consultation will start in July 2011 when all residents will be invited to share and express their views and ideas on the future of adult social care.   

Further information

Shropshire’s transformation programme for adult social care will set a clear ambition that will be centred around people, places and the way we do things, making sure we provide services around the needs of people we serve.

The future service model will be based upon the principles of working together, prevention, enabling, maximising independence, and providing targeted support where it is needed.  This will form the fundamental basis of the change programme for adult social care, ‘Live Life: Your Way’. 

The new change programme ‘Live Life: Your Way’ will bring about a major rethink and revolutionise the way we, as a council, deliver adult social care services.  Change in the choices being offered to our customers focusing on empowering people and giving a clear voice to all residents who use these services.

Shropshire Council is committed to ensuring that it seeks out and takes account of the views of people who use adult social care services, their families and carers, partners, stakeholders and local councillors.  We will look to transform the service and embark on a journey together to shift the balance of care towards personalised services in community settings, to help people achieve the outcomes they want and lead independent lives.

We will consult with the adult social care community to bring together the views, thoughts and aspirations for the service, which will form the basis of a shared vision for future delivery. 

There is a clear need to develop such a new vision and overarching strategy for adult social care that reflects the needs of the people of Shropshire, and which includes these key elements:

• Participation: encouraging, engaging and promoting local participation and contribution.
• Prevention and enablement: empowering local people and communities to work together to maintain independence.  Where it is needed, we will support communities and help people to retain and regain independence through integrated and joined-up services and promotion of new support and assistive technologies, such as Telecare and Telehealth.
• Personalisation: Personalisation starts with the person not the service.  We will ensure that individuals, not institutions, take control of their care.  Personal budgets, preferably as direct payments, will be provided to all eligible people.  Information about care and support will be more relevant, accessible and available for all local people, regardless of whether or not they fund their own care.
• Partnership: care and support will be delivered in a partnership between individuals, communities, the voluntary and private sectors, the NHS and Shropshire Council – including wider support services, such as housing, leisure, training, education and employment.
• Plurality: the variety of people’s needs will be matched by diverse service provision, with a broad market of high-quality service providers.
• Protection: there will be sensible safeguards against the risk of abuse or neglect.  Risk will no longer be an excuse to limit people’s freedom.
• Productivity: greater local accountability, through the involvement of local councillors and community ownership, will drive improvements and innovation, to deliver higher productivity and high-quality care and support services.  A focus on publishing information about agreed quality outcomes will support greater transparency and accountability.
• People: we will create a highly skilled and innovative workforce, who can provide care and support with compassion, empathy, creativity and imagination, and who are given the freedom and support to do so.  We need the whole workforce, including care workers, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and social workers, alongside carers and the people who use services, to lead the change. 

As with all services, there is a need to make them efficient as possible.  The implementation in May 2011 of ‘First Point of Contact’, where all adult social care referrals going through the customer service centre, has ensured appropriate signposting, information provision, consistency of experience and, where needed, appropriate referral onwards for social care intervention.  This is just one example of how modernising processes has both improved the experience for the customer, and provided a saving for the council.