Drive for efficiency moves up a gear

Councils and partners across the region are developing new practices, procedures and services as part of transforming adult social care and improving efficiency.

Developments include:

• Warwickshire – with the help of the Care Services Efficiency Delivery programme (CSED), a new business model has been adopted to manage the flow of people seeking services by investing more in preventative measures. It entails updated techniques to baseline, monitor and evaluate existing services, and to make projections of future demands and resources

• Coventry – Contact and Connect helps people aged over 60 live safely and independently in their own homes, and improve their quality of life by connecting them to appropriate support services. Commissioned by the Older People’s Partnership and managed by Age Concern, the service is delivered by 10 local agencies working with West Midlands Fire Service, the Pensions Service and Coventry Carers Centre. It has led to increased take up of benefits, more people maintaining their independence at home, a rise in fire safety assessments, fitting of smoke alarms and a reduction of fires in the home; more safety checks and fewer falls.

• Telford& Wrekin – a single point of access for older people and individuals with physical disability has been set up, and commissioning is carried out jointly with the local PCT. The council is also working with CSED to set up a reablement support programme

• Coventry – provision of housing with care as a viable alternative to residential care. The purpose is to help older people live in their own homes and contribute to their communities and family life for as long as possible. Assessment for eligibility is carried out by a social worker. Between April 2005 and April 2007, seven percent of elderly people receiving care and support in the city moved into sheltered housing; 73 percent were able to die at home and only 17 percent went on to receive specialist care.

• Herefordshire – commissioning is carried out jointly by the PCT and the council. Intermediate health and care services are currently under review with an emphasis on reablement.

• Stoke-on-Trent – a telehealth care initiative between the NHS and council has resulted in over 100 people with long term conditions, and at risk of admittance to hospital, staying in their own homes supported by daily electronic contact with their clinician.

• Stoke-on-Trent – two integrated health and social care reablement centres have been set up to aid a speedy return home after discharge from hospital, and to prevent hospital admissions. The centres provide residential and day rehabilitation facilities including a fitness suite and telecare suite. Health and social care staff are based on site.

• Solihull – Solihull Care NHS Trust Reablement Service helps users learn or relearn skills impaired by illness and rebuild their confidence. Ninety percent of service users say they are able to do more for themselves as a result. The reablement team is made up of care assistants, occupational therapists and social workers.