Living Independentlyin Blaenau Gwent

In The 21st Century

2006 to 2021

Strategy update

What did the strategy set out to do?Enable older people to live as independently as possible, as full and equal citizens of Blaenau Gwent and their local communities.

To achieve this it set out to:• work in partnership and in so doing to fully utilise the

resources of individuals themselves, their families and local communities as well as those of all the other care and mainstream services; and,

• help older people to find solutions that work for them.

Why are we reviewing the strategy?

An opportunity to consider the actions taken in the past 6 years and to help the Authority:

• understand the range of changes that have been made; • whether these changes have had a positive impact; and• whether the plans and priorities are believed to be

appropriate and remain relevant to the needs of the ‘older’ population.

What changes have been made?

Section 4 of the updated “Living Independently” strategy highlights planned significant changes:

• Closure of the 4 LA owned residential homes enabled extraCare to be opened;

• Re-modelling of Home Care to make it a more flexible and responsive service;

• Increased availability of supporting aids and adaptations;• Increased support for unpaid/family carers

Has change had a positive impact?

Wales Government initiative ‘Sustainable Social Services – a framework for action’ states:

“Social Services must act in ways which:• sustain and strengthen older/disabled people and enable them to

make a full contribution to the community and importantly to draw on it for support; and

• allow older/disabled people to have maximum control over their lives

• move away from the negative stereotypes of dependence and loss, to a more positive appreciation of the knowledge, coping skills and experience, possessed by older people”.

The changes to date have supported the above principles

Social Services & Wellbeing Bill (Wales)

‘From Vision to Action’ – The Pearson Review 2010

White Paper ‘Sustainable Social Services’ 2011

Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Bill Jan 2013

3 key elements

Universal Access to

Information and Community

Services

Managed Support for Vulnerable

Proportionate Wellbeing

Support from Community

Services

The

Vision

Access to information, advice and support from LA and LHB

People eligible for a local authority service via case management

Trigger of eligibility of formal social services intervention

Move of trigger to reduce formal intervention

Services available to promote independence and wellbeing

Are the future plans appropriate and relevant?

Local authorities are at the forefront of dealing with the implications of an ageing population. If Social Services is to cope with the many demands expected of it then there needs to focus on 4 specific activity areas:

• Services that promote social inclusion • Services that support individuals at times of difficulty and protect

them from harm.• Services that assist individuals to recover independence where this

has been threatened; • Services that promote and protect the dignity of the individual.

How is Social Services setting out to meet these objectives?

We are proposing a community partnership model which will enable:

• the early identification of vulnerable, or, potentially vulnerable people;

• utilising Community resources to respond where possible • intervening early in an attempt to remedy concerns at an early stage • delay or prevent the individual’s circumstances or personal health

from deteriorating to the extent that the only option is intensive support through a ‘care’ package.

Community Intervention

Prevention

Intermediate Level

Complex Care

Divert demand

Reduce demand

Promote independence

Manage the demand thatremains better and more efficiently

Focus Challenges

How will resources be made available to achieve this broader agenda?

A community partnership approach which ensures:

• Services are co-ordinated effectively and developed as a comprehensive partnership model

• Organisations, agencies and individuals provide support where appropriate;

• Individuals feel that the services and support are “joined up”, or integrated

Community InterventionWorking proactively to prevent ill health and reduce the prevalence of vulnerable people moving into the “care” system, through creating a culture of prevention rather than cure with actions that:

• combat the effects of ageism/disability; • create meaningful contacts with and be enabled to be more active

within the community;• provide universal access to good quality information; • support safer neighbourhoods; • promote healthy active lifestyles; and • deliver practical services

Prevention

To achieve this there will be a need for:• Early identification • empower and prepare people to manage

their own social & healthcare; • provide support that will have a lasting

impact on quality of life;• mobilise community resources

What level of engagement will be required of social service staff?

Initially Social Services led to:• Consult with older/disabled people and encouraging

them to identify and determine their own local priorities;• Develop a joined up approach to information (content

and giving);• Mobilise the involvement of all local organisations • Build community capacity through the pooling of

resources, across organisations; and • Develop volunteering opportunities.

Intermediate levelTo assist people to become more independent through:

• Intensive support through a process of rehabilitation/enablement

• Greater focus on outcomes and payment by results

• Cultural change - ‘enabling’ rather than ‘care’.

Complex Care• greater clarity about what services are trying to promote

or prevent;• clarity about the responsibilities of those delivering

services, those in receipt of services and their carers, so that meaningful partnerships evolve.

• a more person centred focus to satisfy individual need • outcome focused services that maximise people’s

functioning skills, leading to greater independence;• a constant focus to protect and promote the dignity of the

individual

Overall rationale• The Social Services Bill - moving from Welfare to Well-Being;• People are living longer and the demands on services are likely to

increase immeasurably (affordability) • Leading to short-term outcome focused interventions which help

enable independence;• Not relying on cuts or strengthening eligibility criteria; • Reframing the nature of support to older/disabled people; • Gathering intelligence from the community, being pro-active and

intervening early;• Improving the lives of older/disabled people by reshaping the way

communities interact with them

Conclusions

• Part way through the 15 year strategy• Much has been achieved• Considerable demand and cost pressures

remain• New models of service delivery are required,

early intervention and community based • Collaboration will be key – with partners

(Caerphilly), with providers, with service users and carers