Council launches new social care website to celebrate Carers Week 2016
A newly-revamped social care website has been launched today (Wednesday 8 June 2016) as part of the national Carers Week 2016.
Shropshire Choices, developed by Shropshire Council’s adult services team, is designed to ensure everyone in Shropshire has access to information at a time and in a format which suits them, including those who are:
- looking for information about adult social care
- already receiving support
- caring for a friend or family member.
The easy-to-navigate 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. The site aims to improve access to quality local information, and promote the ability for people to help themselves in their local communities.
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:
- Staying independent
- Getting out and about
- Caring for someone
- Leaving hospital
- Concerned about abuse?
- Needing help
Lee Chapman, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for adults, said:
“Shropshire Choices aims to provide an online hub to become the ‘go-to’ place when needing to find simple solutions to enable people who access social care advice and support, and their carers, to make informed decisions to help improve their care and well-being.
“The newly revamped website offers a fresh new source of quality-assured information about care and how to remain independent for longer, and is designed to complement our service by providing a wealth of advice and signposting information to a vast range of topics. Our online service will also be a useful resource for those finding themselves in a caring role for the first time.”
The new-look website also includes a local directory which is designed to enable individuals to find the help advice and support they need in order to remain in their own homes for as long as possible. Further developments are underway to enhance the user experience, and updates on this work will be published soon.
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.
Lee Chapman continued:
“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.
“Also, we are constantly looking for 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.”
The website also connects users to national websites and related local websites, providing the best advice and resources to help improve people’s 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.
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/
For those who don’t have Internet access and require information, please contact First Point of Contact Team on: 0345 678 9044.
