Working together to ‘make it real’

People receiving care and support from Shropshire Council, carers and staff are working together to look at feedback on adult social care and how this will shape the development of services.

The Shropshire Making it Real (MiR) Reference Group met for the first time earlier this month (October 2013), as part of work taking place to give people more choice and control over how they are supported, and ensure it is personalised to their needs and interests.

Shropshire Council has signed up to MiR to help make sure it is improving adult social care services in this way.

Social care is the range of services and support available for vulnerable people to help them lead independent lives in their own communities. These range from providing a first point of contact over the phone for anyone who feels they need some support, to helping people to arrange assistance with personal care, so they can keep living in their own home.

Any council or other organisation that provides social care services can sign up to MiR to show their commitment to offering services shaped around each individual.

A MiR survey has been running for people to tell the council more about their experiences of social care, and how well it is supporting them to live their lives in the way they want.

The survey is based on the MiR checklist which has been developed by people using services and their carers, supported by more than 30 national social care organisations. The checklist is a list of statements which outline what people expect if services are personalised.

The reference group discussed the survey feedback received to date and the next steps in using the information to influence services.  Members of the reference group will also form part of the MiR board, which will meet for the first time later in October 2013. The board will further discuss the feedback received, agree the priorities for future work and develop an action plan based on the priorities.

Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adult services – transformation and safeguarding, said:

“We have signed up to Making it Real as part of our work to ensure people have opportunities to choose the care that suits their life.

“We want people to be able to benefit from a wide range of support that meets their individual needs and enables them to remain independent and active in their communities for as long as possible.

“People receiving care and support from Shropshire Council, carers and staff are all represented on the reference group and the board – and the work is moving steadily ahead. Together they are working to look in detail at what people have told us, and are using this feedback to agree priorities and future plans.  We’ll share more on these developments as the work progresses further.”

People can still take part in the survey. There are two versions of the survey – one for people receiving services and one for carers.

To complete the survey, which should take 20 to 30 minutes, go to shropshire.gov.uk/adult-social-care/personalisation.

Regular updates on MiR, and the wide variety of work taking place across adult services in Shropshire, are being placed on the council’s Live Life Your Way Facebook page at www.facebook.com/shropshirelivelifeyourway.

To find out more about MiR please call Charlotte Quinton on 01743 253798 or email makingitreal@shropshire.gov.uk.

To find out more about MiR and the organisations nationally that have signed up, go to the national website, www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk.