Living Independently in Blaenau Gwent In The 21 st 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 that remains better and more efficiently FocusChallenges

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 Intervention Working 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 level To 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