Proposed changes to adult day services move forward
Plans to offer more flexible day care opportunities for people in Shropshire have been approved.
The council has been speaking to people who use day services, and their families and carers, over the past few years about having more choice and control over the type of care they receive.
All councils across the country are taking this approach, known as personalisation, which can give people increased choice and control of how their support is organised. This can, where appropriate, include their own personal budget to ‘buy’ the services and activities that meet their needs. This process began nationally in 2005.
A report was published last week outlining the next steps in this transformation, and Tim Barker, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adult services – transformation and safeguarding, approved the recommendations (with some amendments outlined at the end of this article) on Thursday 1 August 2013.
One of the outcomes of the report will be the closure of three existing day centres, as more people are now taking up the option of attending other activities – many of which do not have to be provided in day centres specifically.
Tim Barker said:
“These proposals are not about no longer meeting the needs of individuals or their families. Rather, the proposals are about meeting their needs in a different – and in our view, more positive – way. That may still include going to a day centre, but could also involve a variety of other activities too.
“Some people have interpreted these proposals as meaning that people would stop receiving care, leaving their carers or families without respite. This is not the case, as the work we have already carried out with people who no longer attend day centres shows.
“We have been talking to people who attend day centres, and their families and carers, as well as day centre staff, about the changes and how they might affect them. These plans are essentially the next steps following major consultations we have done in recent years about the future of adult social care, so I don’t think they have come as a major surprise to anyone.
“Those consultations showed us that the vast majority of people wanted more control to choose the type of care and activities they received as part of their care package. That’s what these proposals are all about, and I would urge people not to focus on the fact that some buildings will close, but to look at the extra choice people will have to ensure that the care they receive is right for them.”
Following the decision agreed on Thursday 1 August 2013, Hartley’s and Sabrina Court day centres in Shrewsbury will be closing. The future options for people who use these centres, and their families and carers, will be discussed with them before any changes take place.
A new facility will be created in Oswestry to replace Lorne Street and Avalon day centres, which will not close until the new facility is ready. No decisions have yet been made about the location of the new facility, which will provide more comfortable and appropriate accommodation, but options include the possibility of using the former Willow Street medical centre building.
Councillor Barker also agreed with the report’s recommendation to develop the commerciality of day services provided at Oak Farm, Greenacres Farm, Patchworks and Maesbury Metals to secure their long-term future.
The future provision of day services in Bridgnorth, currently provided at Innage Lane, will be reviewed with the people and organisations directly involved.
Councillor Tim Barker agreed recommendations 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3 and 2.1.4 as stated in the report, but Appendix D was amended to state that the future provision of day services in Bridgnorth would be reviewed rather than ceasing the provision of services from Innage Lane.
The report is marked as item 1 on the agenda for the decision-making meeting on 1 August 2013. The report, including the amended Appendix D at the end, can be viewed by clicking this link.
