15/03/2013 - Permalink

Scrutiny focuses on work to develop and improve adult social care

Related topics: Community / Health

The latest developments in adult social care to give people more independence, choice and control are to be discussed by scrutiny councillors.

Members of Shropshire Council’s Joint Safe and Confident Communities and Healthy Communities Scrutiny Committee will consider:

  • work to enhance preventative services – services which help people to be independent and prevent them needing ongoing social care support
  • the Adult Social Care Peer Review Action Plan – the review provided an opportunity to look again at how services are being transformed and was carried out by a team of experienced people skilled in adult social care who come together to act as a critical friend to the council and its partners.

At a meeting on Wednesday 20 March 2013, councillors will hear how progress is being made on recommendations for preventative services made by an Adult Social Care Task and Finish Group.  These include making sure assistive technology is available to vulnerable people of all ages.  Assistive technology covers a range of equipment and services, from a medication dispenser to a whole house alarm monitoring system.

Another recommendation which has been actioned is rolling out the Supported Discharge Service provided by START (the council’s Short Term Assessment and Reablement Team) to all areas and hospitals across Shropshire.  This was initially a pilot provided in the Shrewsbury and Atcham area.  The service provides a period of intensive support for older people being discharged from hospital to help them regain skills and independence. 

Actions following the peer review, which councillors will be updated on, include ensuring that people are receiving a service that is personalised to their needs and interests, and using what is learned from People2People – a pilot social work scheme – in other areas of social care.

Stephen Chandler, Shropshire Council’s director of adult services, said:

“This is an opportunity to share with scrutiny councillors the latest on work to improve adult social care services and ensure that progress on actions following the task and finish group and peer review is taking place at the pace it should be.

“The actions fit with what people have told us they want from adult social care; a wide range of support that enables them to remain independent and active members of their communities for as long as possible.

“The scrutiny process helps to make sure that we are achieving these aims, that services are being delivered in the best way possible, and that everyone has a good understanding of how and why we are developing services for the people of Shropshire.”

For further information on adult social care in Shropshire, including assistive technology, START and People2People go to shropshire.gov.uk/adultcarer.nsf.