20/06/2016 - Permalink

New directory to support health and social care organisations in Shropshire promote their services

Related topics: Adult social care / Health

Social care and health organisations across Shropshire can now take advantage of a new free directory to help promote their services across the county.

Shropshire Choices website has been launched to help Shropshire residents, particularly those who find they need support, make informed decisions to help improve their care and well-being.

The website provides a resource directory of organisations across Shropshire whereby organisations can add, manage and update their own information free of charge. Information includes:

  • Name and address of organisation, which will appear on the accompanying Google map
  • Email, telephone and mobile
  • Web address
  • Social media links to your Facebook and/or Twitter pages
  • A facility to add your own logo
  • Your opening times
  • The locations you cover
  • What client groups you cover
  • Options to add your events
  • A facility to add all your organisation’s promotional material, such as your leaflets, newsletters, flyers, as well as feedback from customers and testimonials etc
  • Options to add your products and services.

Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adults, said:

“Our Shropshire Choices resource directory is a great way for social care and health organisations, social enterprises, groups, agencies and individuals to showcase their range of services and/or events which support people living in Shropshire.

“The resource directory allows providers to add and update information about their organisation which will benefit those most in need.

“We encourage local voluntary and community groups to add their information, which is particularly important and will allow people to choose options which are going to make real and meaningful differences to their quality of life, relevant to their own needs. Your support helps to meet the needs of vulnerable people. Therefore it is critical the people in Shropshire know what you have to offer, how to get in touch and how to access your service. Promoting what you have to offer is vital.”

The newly-revamped website will become a one-stop shop of information, giving adults and carers in Shropshire more choice and control over their social care and health needs, enabling them to live independently for longer.

Shropshire Choices provides information about a wide range of sources of help and support, including independent financial information and information about care homes and housing options. It can also help with keeping independent; getting out and about; keeping safe; health and well-being; employment and volunteering opportunities, and being a carer. Information includes:

Shropshire Choices also offers information to supporting children and their families during the transitional stage when entering adult services.

The easy-to-navigate website aims to improve access to quality local information, and promote the ability for people to help themselves in their local communities. You can find out more about Shropshire Choices here.

Lee Chapman continued:-

“The launch of the Shropshire Choices will be vital in helping people in need of support, not only by helping to signpost people to the correct organisations, but by also reaching people who wouldn’t necessarily know where to begin looking for the help and care support they need.

“We are committed to ensure Shropshire Choices becomes a user-led site, and will no doubt continue to evolve to meet the needs of the people within Shropshire. We hope the information, which has been developed with the support of service users, carers and our partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors, will encourage people to think more widely than just traditional care services when planning the support they need.

“So please let us know what you think of the website, so we can ensure the advice and information provided meets your needs.”

For further information and to register onto the directory click here.

Once you have signed-in to the website portal you can access your listings whenever you like via the My Life Portal log-in screen and update your details and attach new documents/advertising material.

To find out more about Shropshire Choices visit www.shropshirechoices.org.uk.

To provide feedback about Shropshire Choices go to Feedback.

You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @ShropChoices and https://www.facebook.com/ShropshireChoices/

Further information

Following The Care Act 2014, Shropshire Council made the decision to develop an online platform which would become the hub of information for people needing social care advice, wanting to plan ahead and bringing together local organisations under one umbrella

Shropshire Choices has undergone significant changes to meet both the requirements from the national Care Act 2014 and in response to feedback from people using social care services and their carers.

The website also connects users to national websites and related local websites, providing the best advice and resources to help improve peoples’ care and well-being. This will include video clips, downloadable fact sheets, interactive guides and real-life experiences from local people.

The content of the website will be kept under constant review and updated with information on more groups and services added in the future. There will also be further information around transition from child to adult services, housing and local news and events.