New timetable for social care reform

Proposed actions and the timetable for continued reform of adult social care can be found in the Department of Health Draft Structural Reform Plan.

Section five of the plan details time scales, actions and milestones based on government’s commitment to:

• enable people needing care to be treated with dignity and respect
• reform the system of social care providing more control to individuals and their carers
• ease the cost burden that they and their families face

Options for funding long term care are already being considered by a newly appointed Commission; and the government’s vision for social care reform is due to be published in November this year.

The plan is subject to the autumn Spending Review and government priorities for reducing the national deficit.


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Automated pill dispenser 1st phase results

Early results from some of the automated pill dispenser pilot sites have shown a marked increase in efficiency and a decline in use of health and care services.

The pilot was established to gather evidence to support wider use of the device across the region, as part of JIP’s drive to encourage the use of technology in helping people regain control over their lives.

The dispenser is loaded with medication by a pharmacist and automatically reminds people to take their pills when its inbuilt alarm rings.

The first twelve people in the Dudley and Staffordshire areas have completed their six month pilot period.

Total cost of the service in the two areas was £80 for each device and £120 to dispense and load the device with tablets for the trial period, amounting to £200 per person and £2,000 in total.
During this time there were measurable decreases in GP visits, ambulance call outs, hospital stays due to medication errors, domiciliary care packages and respite care.

Total financial impact was a decrease in service costs of £39,000. This represents a return of £19.50 for each pound invested.

More results from other pilot sites will be available in November 2010.
Contact: Andy Jackson, Regional Project Manager, email: andy.jackson28@ntlworld.com

Telephone: 07815 073 611.

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Expanding the scope of telecare

The JIP is offering top level practical and strategic support to councils seeking to expand the scope of their telecare services.

The partnership has set up a support programme for local authorities in the region to:

• develop their telecare strategies and links with telehealth
• strengthen the infrastructure and resources for telecare within authorities
• adopt where appropriate the CSED programme Telecare Modelling Toolkit
• use collaborative procurement across the region
• scope, design and execute pilots in client group sectors including people with dementia living in the community; carers supporting people with dementia; people with learning disabilities; and older people living in extra care sheltered housing schemes.

Nathan Downing is the project lead. Email: nathan@ndiconsulting.co.uk; telephone: 07970 567 332.


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Providing support in partnership

A cross authority housing and support service has been set up by Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Dudley local authorities.

Known as the Birmingham and Black Country Cross Authority Accommodation Project, the service is run by Midland Heart and caters for single people aged 18 and over.

It provides accommodation and support for up to 20 service users. Ten units providing 24 hour support are based in Birmingham, four partially supported units are located in Walsall and Dudley with a further two in Wolverhampton, and 32 units in which floating support is available are situated throughout the four geographical areas.

Each services user has a support plan covering their needs and a risk assessment determining the level of support they need to maximise their independence and help them achieve their goals.
Contact: Claire Hammonds, telephone: 01922 602438, email: hammondc@walsall.gov.uk

From rehabilitation to the community

Stoke-on-Trent Adult Social Care, Health and Communities directorate has successfully transformed its support service for stroke patients following its redesign of the Stroke Care Pathway, the process used to move patients from rehabilitation back to living in the wider community.

Transformation objectives were to:

• establish a Community Stroke Team delivering services based on a hub and spoke model
• develop integrated personalised health and social care centres
• improve the quality of life for stroke survivors

Changes have led to:

• contact made with the hospital after admission to facilitate early discharge and ensure continuity of care in the community
• appropriate equipment or adjustments made at home at an early stage speeding up hospital discharge times
• a named contact person who will organise a range of support
• services designed to help individuals adjust to the physical and emotional effects of a stroke
• people receiving support from social care staff who have received specialist training and have regular contact with health colleagues specialising in rehabilitation services.

Staff have also benefited from new personal development opportunities, less paper work and access to an up to date database on the ward and in the community.

The next stage involves giving more health staff access to the database, and employment of a Stroke Liaison Officer who will be responsible for rolling out joint training programmes across health and social care.

Contact: jill.broomhall@stoke.gov.uk

Taking technology on the road

Road shows promoting assistive technology and the range of devices available to help people in their day to day lives are being held across Staffordshire.

The shows have been organised in response to residents asking for clearer information about what is available and where devices can be obtained.

Over 100 people attended one of the events held in Audley Village, North Staffordshire, where gadgets ranging from automatic pill dispensers to bath aids and jam jar openers were available for them to try.

In keeping with the theme of reablement and prevention, Staffordshire Fire Service were on hand to test electric blankets and provide risk reduction advice, along with Staffordshire trading standards, the police, and housing services giving information on community safety, avoiding rogue traders, home improvements and telecare services.

Contact: Jim Ellam, email: jim.ellam@staffordshire.gov.uk .

Reablement roll out

Staffordshire is set to roll out its new Community Reablement Service in April 2011.

In preparation, four developments sites have been set up to trial approaches to reablement and test new ways of working as part of personalisation of services and integrating health with social care. The project is supported by CSED.

Initial results from the site areas are comparable with national findings and reveal:

• 41% of service users require no further care package
• 28% of users requiring a reduced care package

The council aims to achieve 55% upwards of people no longer requiring care when the service is fully implemented, placing it in the best performing category of councils.

Key elements of the project include:

Workforce - flexible, helping to shape the new service, changing mindset and workplace culture.

Service philosophy – reablement and empowerment of service users, keeping individuals out of the care system, reduce dependency on the NHS and social care, and align services to personalisation.

Commissioning approach – align to the county’s Joint Commissioning Unit reprovision programme, operate on an integrated service model, shaping new social care markets, encourage adoption of the reablement philosophy.

Contact: Jim Ellam, email: jim.ellam@staffordshire.gov.uk .