Adult Services News Volume 26, February 2006
The long awaited White Paper on the future of Social Care was finally published on Monday 30 January. This also included the Governments proposals for Primary and Community Health Care, signalling the importance of Health and Social Care working even more closely together. The title "Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: A New Direction for Community Services" reflects the major consultation exercise that took place in the autumn.
The key element of the White Paper is providing people with the opportunity to have more choice and control over the services they receive. It includes proposals to achieve this by:
Making it the responsibility of Directors of Adult Social Services and Directors of Public Health to assess strategic needs in order to plan services for the next 10-15 years.
Investing in prevention measures that can improve people’s well-being and prevent acute hospital admissions.
Extending direct payments and piloting individual budgets to give people greater freedom to choose the support they want.
Establishing an information service/helpline for carers.
Establishing short-term, home-based respite support to carers in crisis or emergency in each area.
Allocating funding to train carers.
Encouraging councils and PCT’s to nominate leads for carers’ services.
Ensuring all people with long-term complex needs have access to a care manager who can co-ordinate the services they need.
Expecting all PCT’s and local authorities to establish joint health and social care teams to support people with long-term conditions and providing them with an integrated care plan by 2008.
Developing guidance on joint commissioning for health and well being, and also for those people with long-term needs (80% of those using social care).
Integrating NHS and local authority workforce planning by 2008.
Building up skills in social care and taking action to address recruitment and retention problems.
Bernard Walker,
Director of Adult Services.
Reducing The Risk Of Falls
A sloppy slipper exchange event is one of the ways to raise awareness about the risk of falls amongst older people and encourage them to find out about ways to reduce the risk.
The day is run in partnership with the Health Promotion Unit. Other contributors to the day include the Pension Service, 5 A Day Project, Age Concern and Wigan & Leisure Culture Trust’s Active Living Team.
During the day older people can swap their worn or ill-fitting slippers for a new pair of firm grip slippers free of charge. Advice is available throughout the day on medicine management, foot care, personal falls and income maximisation. The day also gives the opportunity to give other prevention based messages about healthy eating and promoting physical activity.
The events are open to any older person living in the area and there is no need to book.
For more information about the forthcoming events please contact,
Helen Coffey
Network Co-Ordinator For Older People 01942 4044501.
The Occupational Therapy Reference Group
The Occupational Therapy (OT) Department assess for, recommend and provide equipment for people with disabilities within the borough. In the past 18 months a group of customers and carers have been meeting bimonthly to contribute their views and ideas to help develop the service.
In 2004 the OT department ran a consultation day for recipients of their service and their carers. The aim of the day was for staff to listen to the public view and to take account of issues raised when developing services. As a result of this day 6 people were elected to represent different groups of people with disabilities who may receive a service from the OT department.
Since that time the group has met with Social Services staff to discuss issues within the OT Service and ways in which it could be developed to reflect the publics views more closely. This is a two way process. Customers have an opportunity to air real issues and identify problems areas and staff are able to clarify the wider issues that shape the limits what can be provided.
This group, known as the OT Reference Group has already influenced some small changes, for example, what information the department provides to the public and decisions regarding guidelines for the provision of certain adaptations.
The following groups are represented.
- Carers
- People with physical disabilities
- Young people and children with physical disabilities
- People with complex needs, and
- Voluntary groups.
If you would like more information please contact,
Niamh Rigby
Team Manager
01942 766960.
New Participation Co-ordinator
My objective is to enable people with disabilities to be active participants in the Fulfilling Lives section of the white paper Valuing People. My role is to
Develop a borough wide voluntary work initiative
Continue community mapping.
I hope to increase number of service-users accessing mainstream borough wide voluntary opportunities
Increased opportunities for service-users to become members of local community groups
To enable service-users to participate fully in mainstream borough wide events eg rugby & football
So far people have expressed interest in office work; parks/woodland work; libraries; cafes; children's nursery.
I am liasing with staff & service-users to identify what people are interested in and being pro-active in making community connections
If you need more information please get in touch.
Mike Mullahy
Participation Co-ordinator
Telephone 01942 776680.
Wanted… some very special people.
You have to be dedicated to the safety and well-being of children in care and completely committed to improving the quality of their lives.
If that sounds like you then you could be just the sort of 'independent visitor' that the council is looking for to help youngsters who are no longer in contact with their own families.
Caroline Jones from Adult Services explains: "For various reasons some children and young people who we look after can lose touch with parents and families. This can lead to them feeling isolated and lonely, despite the efforts of their carers or social workers."
"An Independent Visitor provides a vital role in promoting the well being of children. They visit them in their children's home or foster home to support children, help them to join in activities, befriend them and, just by talking things over, can make a big difference to a child's daily life."
"As a volunteer you will have the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience of working with children and young people and ensuring their best interests are served."
Volunteers will receive induction training, regular support and reimbursement of all expenses.
If you have good communication skills and a commitment to the interests of children and young people then contact Caroline Jones or Lindsey Fletcher on 01942 828197 or 828196 for an informal chat or for further information.
You can also write to:
Customer Relations Unit,
Department of Adult Services,
Civic Centre,
Millgate,
Wigan WN1 1AZ.
Or email ssdcru@wigan.gov.uk
Successful applicants will be subject to Criminal Records Bureau checks and will be asked for two references.