New document outlines achievements and aspirations for adult social care
Supporting people using adult social care services, their families and carers to have more choice, control and independence are among Shropshire Council’s achievements and ongoing priorities, outlined in a new document.
Shropshire Council has produced a Local Account for Adult Social Care to explain the work that took place in 2010/11 to enhance services as well as aspirations and challenges guiding work in 2011/12.
The Local Account will be discussed by the council’s Cabinet on Wednesday 8 February 2012.
The Promoting Excellence in Councils Adult Social Care Programme Board has suggested that all councils delivering adult social services consider producing a short, accessible Local Account on 2010/11 performance, and publish this locally.
The achievements outlined in the account include:
- Results from the national User Survey for people receiving adult social care showed that the council was performing above the national average, when asking people about how satisfied they are with the services they receive
- Increasing the availability of assistive technology equipment to vulnerable individuals. Assistive technology covers a range of equipment and services, from a medication dispenser to a whole house alarm monitoring system.
- In collaboration with Shropshire County Primary Care Trust, developing an enhanced reablement service for people leaving hospital. The service aims to provide support within 24 hours of referral to ensure that people do not stay in hospital longer than is necessary. Once home, individuals are supported to follow a personalised plan to increase their independence.
- Increased support for individuals to use personal budgets, giving them more choice and control over the services they receive. The percentage of people using personal budgets increased from 16 per cent in 2009/10 to 25 per cent in 2010/11.
- Higher performance than the council’s family group – a group of councils with similar characteristics – and the England average for providing carers with services, following a carer’s assessment.
- Higher performance than the council’s family group and the England average for ensuring that adults with a learning disability were supported to gain paid employment to improve their quality of life, and reduce the risk of isolation.
Councillor Ann Hartley, Cabinet member responsible for adult social care, said:
“We welcome this opportunity to describe what we do in adult social care, in Shropshire, and have produced this Local Account document for the first time this year.
“The document highlights how we have been working to give people more options and control over adult social care services.
“To develop this work and increase the pace of change, we carried out the biggest consultation on adult social care in the history of Shropshire from July 2011 to September 2011. We talked to hundreds of people about how the council can deliver the best care possible, shaping a new strategy for adult social care.
“During the consultation people told us that they want to choose the services that best suit them, and they want a wider range of personal support that enables them to remain independent and active members of their communities for as long as possible.
“We are now carrying out the action points identified in the strategy and, as the Local Account highlights, we will continue to involve people across Shropshire, seeking their input as we work to further improve services.”
The Local Account is available to read in full on the Shropshire Council website at shropshire.gov.uk/adultcarer.nsf
Further information
The new Promoting Excellence in Councils Adult Social Care Programme Board is developing the key elements of the new approach to self improvement in adult social services. The board is chaired by Richard Jones, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, and includes the Local Government Association, Social Care Institute for Excellence, Care Quality Commission and the Department of Health.
