Cabinet discusses adult social care feedback and agrees proposals

Shropshire Council’s Cabinet today (Wednesday 12 September 2012) discussed consultation feedback, and agreed proposals, which aim to progress the ongoing development of personalised adult social care services, address inconsistencies in day care, and ensure people make a fair contribution based on their ability to pay. 

The paper to Cabinet follows changes which have already started to take place in the way adult social care is delivered. 

Traditionally, the council has made the decisions on the care people receive.  However, in 2011, during the most comprehensive consultation on adult social care in the history of Shropshire, people told the council that they want to have more choice and control over the services.  People shared how they want a wider range of personal support that enables them to remain independent and active members of their communities for as long as possible.  The key messages on the sorts of approach people want included a variety of day care provision. 

The consultation shaped a new strategy for adult social care which drives forward what people told the council by focusing on equity, choice and variety in the way support is provided. 

As part of the development of the strategy and these more personalised, varied services, the council is aiming to help all people who are eligible for social care support to use personal budgets, which is also in line with Government guidance.  Personal budgets allow people to take greater control over their services, by choosing what they want to spend their money on, based on what will meet their needs.  As more people are supported to choose services in this way, there needs to be a range of services available, with the associated costs, so that people know what they can get for their personal budget amount. 

To offer this it was recognised that the council needs to address discrepancies in its current charging and contribution arrangements for in-house or directly provided day care.  At present, these are inconsistent with all other adult social care support provided by the council, with such support from other providers of day care, and with how other councils in the region deliver these services. 

There is currently a disincentive for organisations to come forward to add to the range of services and for individuals who attend council-delivered day centres to consider personalised alternatives, as these individuals do not make a contribution to the cost. However, other adult social care services, such as home care, are subject to the fairer charging policy and people using the services are making a contribution. 

In March 2012, Cabinet approved a wide-ranging consultation on the personalisation of daytime support and the extension of the fairer charging policy to this area of adult social care to achieve this. 

Consultation took place from 8 March to 31 May 2012 with adults who use day care services, carers, representatives from advocacy and other independent organisations, health trusts, GPs, councillors, residents, staff, and the public across the county. 

Today Cabinet considered the feedback, supported the use of personal budgets to modernise day services, and agreed to the inclusion of day services in the fairer charging policy from 19 November 2012. 

The policy will still ensure that no-one makes a contribution unless they are able to pay. No-one is charged for the service they receive unless they have had a financial assessment to determine their ability to pay. 

Ann Hartley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for health and well-being, said:

“This decision was not taken lightly.  It has been made after careful consideration of the recommendations and the consultation feedback. 

“The feedback showed us that the new personalised approach is changing lives for the better by giving people more choice of leisure, employment and social activities in a variety of locations.  However, people also said there should be more opportunities, more consistency and more people should be able to receive services in this way, reinforcing what we were told during consultation last year. 

“We have today agreed to transform the way day care is provided by supporting more people to use personal budgets and addressing the current inequalities that are denying people this option. 

“We are not ‘dressing up’ the need to make savings as personalisation.  We don’t deny that we need to make savings, but we genuinely believe that that this approach means we can further develop the approach people have told us they want, face increasing demand from a growing number of people and still ensure that no-one makes a contribution unless they are able to pay, while at the same time, making the savings needed due to Government cuts.” 

Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for disability, added:

“Services will suffer if we do nothing.  We have to change, because the traditional way of doing things is a denial of choice. 

“People value day centres and can still visit a day centre if they wish to – but during consultation people have told us they want alternatives. 

“Today’s decision aims to enable more people to use personal budgets, address the issue that some people are paying for services and some are not, ensure that money is being spent where it will have the greatest impact, and encourage more organisations to add to the services available. 

“We will fully support everyone affected by the decision.  A dedicated worker will help those who require a financial reassessment.  We are already supporting thousands of people to use personal budgets and as more people use personal budgets we will take them through every step and the different ways they can be managed to fit each individual’s circumstances and needs.”