Transformation Agenda - Independence and Rehabilitation
Northumberland LINk members have been involved in a range of ways in consultation and developments relating to the Transformation programme which is establishing new arrangements for adult care and support in the county.
Meeting of the Link Personalisation Task Group
Held on 4 November 2009 at Benmar House
Members of Northumberland LINk Personalisation Task Group met with Fiona Horsman from the Transformation team of the Care Trust and County Council in November to raise some of the concerns raised by LINk members. You can download the notes of the meeting. The main points raised were:
- Organisation of the development process is through Putting People First Transformation Project Groups: Self Directed Support led by Sue Marrs, Business and Systems led by Neil Bradley, Commissioning and Procurement led by David Minto in the interim, Customer Experience led by Vanessa Bainbridge, Workforce Development led by Lynne Shaw and Market and Community Development led by Michele O’Brien in the interim.
- Sue Trimming and Fiona Wardlaw said they had already expressed and interest in joining some of the 6 project groups but had not heard anything back. ACTION Fiona agreed to raise this with Jane Glendinning and also to forward to members a chart outlining the project groups, what they do and who leads them. If anyone was then interested in joining a group let Fiona know and she will pass this on to the project leads to invite people on. Project leaders are keen to include a range of stakeholders.
- Fiona explained that there were 2 groups established called the Regional Efficiencies and Improvement Agency (REIP) and the Joint Improvement Partnership (JiP) who had top sliced money from the Department of Health to work on transformation. 12 Directors of Adult Social Services in the North East sit on the groups. The money had been divided between Commissioning, Personalisation and Workforce with a range of 25 projects under these three titles. As these projects get going, LINK may be interested in getting involved regionally, if so please let Fiona know. ACTION: Fiona to produce a chart to forward to the group.
3. Questions
Q1: What stage is Northumberland at in the process of delivering Individual Personalised Budgets (IPBs).
A: Fiona explained that Putting People First was more about personalisation than just personal budgets. Even if people do not want to have personal budgets they still must have good quality support and still have access to good quality services i.e. early intervention, social capital, transport, choice and control. It is thought that personal budgets will work better as people know what they want to spend it on rather than the Care Trust deciding what is best.
Fiona explained that the only way cash could be given is through direct payments. Personal budgets do not have to be managed by the client, there will be support available to help people manage the budgets.
Pat asked that if it was lack of confidence that caused people to not to want personal budgets how could they be encouraged? They will be encouraged by distributing leaflets and information and to let them see that they will get help to manage their money. All new clients coming on board will be offered personal budgets from 30 November except for people of working age mental health. All existing clients will be offered personal budgets from April 2010 when their care packages come up for review. Staff are currently being trained to use the process of Self Directed Support.
People will be given the opportunity to fill in a ‘shared assessment questionnaire’ themselves but if they need help then they will get plenty of support. Training will be in place so there should be no backlog of people completing applications. The Care Trust will provide information, advice, guidance and advocacy to people to ensure that what they use their budget for is healthy, safe and legal. Fiona said that she was going to ask the Putting People First Partnership Board whether the Care Trust could go ahead with a few cases to test the process and get people used to working with personal budgets.
It was reported that LINK have a few people who want to retain day care services. Fiona explained that the aim was to move away from traditional style services. People who have an assessed need and are eligible can choose traditional services, however these may not be provided by the Care Trust.
Q2. How many people are currently using Individual Personal Budgets?
A: Only 2 but there are over 500 using direct payments.
Q3. How are service users currently being made aware of PB’s?
A: People are being made aware through the media, 136 events had been held speaking to over 1,000 people, there are newsletters distributed and information leaflets are in the process of being produced. Further events are being planned. Fiona offered to give another presentation to LINK at some time in the future.
Q4. What plans are in place for safeguarding vulnerable people who are presently accessing IPBs?
A. We already have robust safeguarding arrangements in place and that will not change. It is however being underpinned by a Positive Risk Taking policy
Q5. Do we have a risk enablement panel? If so who is on the panel?
A. There is currently no intention to have a risk enablement panel.
Q6. We were told that there is no specific funding available from government for the delivery of PBs. How is Northumberland intending to deliver these?
A. There is no money for care packages however Social Care Reform Grant funding is available for system change. Fiona explained that the money will have to be spent more efficiently and effectively. People in crisis would always be given initial crisis support and if they needed long term care then they will be offered a personal budget.
Q7. We would like to obtain a copy of the ‘No Secrets’ Guidance which is evidently a must for local authorities. (We understand that this can be downloaded.) We feel that if we were to have knowledge of this it would help us to influence good practise in Northumberland.
A. ACTION: Fiona had brought in a copy of this document for Liz and agreed to forward a copy to other members of the group.
Q8. Are there any plans in Northumberland to promote joint working between Health and Social Care in the development of IPBs? We feel that a holistic and joined up approach to working would be very beneficial to some service users.
A. There are national pilots testing for personal health budgets going on. At the moment health funding cannot be part of a personal budget. Fiona Wardlaw said there was confusion in getting social care and getting health budgets and asked if they couldn’t be in the same pot? Fiona Horsman there was funding schemes guiding their use but it is something we may be able to look at in the future
Q9. Does Northumberland have a suitably skilled workforce to deliver PBs and is there a workforce strategy in place?
A. There are national and regional transformation workforce strategies. Lynne Shaw leads the Workforce Development Project Group to organise and deliver training. There is a debate on what the workforce will look like as it is continually changing. Fiona went on to explain the support plan process
Q10. Does Northumberland County Council intend to use internal or external brokers and, if so, what will their roll be?
A. Brokerage is about making things happen so at the moment we are using both. Information hubs will be set up throughout the County and will be community based. A range of people will use these and there will be support planning, information, advice and guidance, telecare, assessments and healthy living. We are not sure as yet how many hubs there will be but it will probably be in the range of 6 or 7. The hubs have the potential to give people better social interaction. After having attended the hubs clients will be tracked to ensure they are happy with the advice they have been given. Arranging travel to the hubs is a challenge which needs addressing and there is a large area to cover so locations are a challenge. The Care Trust is developing a community resource to identify activities in each area. A single access service is currently being sought to enable people to get to the right people at the right time. A care manager will help people through the whole process in the interim.
Q11. What plans, if any, are there regarding monitoring and support, bearing in mind safeguarding as many service users could be vulnerable to all aspects of abuse?
A. Safeguarding is in place now and will continue. We still have a duty of care but want people to have flexibility and control. Nationally it does not seem to be an issue but we will monitor and check building positive risk into the process. Lots of checks and balances are in place in terms of process and spend of money.
The question was asked what happens to people in remote areas who need domiciliary care, for example three times per day? There will be provider companies setting up in all kinds of areas and anyone can link up with any provider. Although these companies do not have to have CRB checks, Northumberland Care Trust will have preferred providers and will take a more cautious approach with monitoring. Any risks will be flagged up by the Care Trust and we will give strong advice to check out the legitimacy of companies. Our service will be more flexible to move with the times. We will also ensure that there are good community transport links in rural areas. We know these are the key areas we have to work on.
Cynthia said that the meeting had been very beneficial and the situation was made much clearer and said that Fiona was welcome to come back at any time.
Action Alyson to circulate Local Authority Circulars with the minutes together with 5 copies of the No Secrets document, charts and project Group arrangements.
It was agreed that dialogue should continue.
For notes of the Personalisation task group meeting which took place in February 2010, please click here.
Choice and Control on the Ground events
An opportunity for LINk members and local communities to have a say on the Transformation agenda within Northumberland took place in September when Northumberland Care Trust and Northumberland County Council collaborated with Northumberland LINk to host two 'Choice and Control on the Ground' events.
These events aimed to give people who are providing services, support and community activities for adults, the opportunity to explore the implications of personalisation and self-directed support. There was the chance to debate the issues and influence plans to create more choice and control for people using adult social care in Northumberland.
The feedback from these events suggested that there may be interest in more opportunities for networking between VCS organisations and groups, and this was reinforced at a follow up day for Northumberland LINk organisation members held on 8th Dec 2009.
'TRANSFORMING DAYTIME SUPPORT FOR OLDER PEOPLE'
Northumberland Care Trust public consultation - 2009
Northumberland Care Trust held a public consultation on proposals for major changes to the way daytime support for older people is arranged. The proposed changes are Northumberland County Council's first step towards self-directed support, as part of their commitment to central and local governments' Transformation agenda as set out in the document and summarised in a leaflet for Nortumberland PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST
Here is a copy of the Northumberland Care Trust's consultation document: 'Transforming daytime support for older people'
Public meetings were held throughout June 2009 in Prudhoe, Ponteland, Hexham, Haltwhistle, Amble, Bedlington & Blyth. Separate consultations have taken place with users of the service, and their family members and carers, and also with Northumberland Care Trust staff employed in the day care settings.
Updated information is available on the Council website at:
www.northumberland.gov.uk/dayservices
The consultation was considered at the following Northumberland LINk area meetings, and notes of discussions are in the e-library on this website:
- West area meeting 11a.m. Tuesday, 16th June 2009, at Adapt (North East), Bluebird House, Hexham.
- South East area meeting 11.30a.m. Wednesday, 17th June 2009, at Blyth Community Enterprise Centre.
- North area meeting 12.30p.m. Tuesday, 30th June 2009, at Bell View, Belford.
The public consultation ran until 20th August, 2009.
Here is a presentation summarising the findings of the consultation.
10a.m. Tuesday, 12th May 2009 - A Practical Guide to Delivering Personalisation making Transformation a Reality
This health & social care conference was held at 76 Portland Place, London. LINk members Elizabeth Richardson and Sue Trimming attended the conference and came back with a number of questions which are currently being considered by the local transformation team:
• What stage is Northumberland at in the process of delivering Individual Personalised Budgets (IPBs)?
• How many service users are currently accessing IPBs?
• How are service users currently made aware of IPBs and what is the process for accessing same?
• What plans are in place for safeguarding vulnerable people, who are presently accessing IPBs?
• Do we have a Risk Enablement Panel? If so who is on the panel?
• We were told that there is no specific funding available from government for the delivery of IPBs. How is Northumberland intending to deliver these?
• We would like you to obtain a copy of the ‘No Secrets’ guidance which is evidently a must for local authorities. (We understand that this can be downloaded.) We feel that if we were to have knowledge of this it would help us to influence good practise in Northumberland.
• Are there any plans in Northumberland to promote joint working between Health and Social Care in the development of IPBs? We feel that an holistic and joined up approach to working would be very beneficial to some service users.
• Does Northumberland have a suitably skilled work force to deliver IPBs and is there a workforce strategy in place?
• Does Northumberland County Council intend to use internal or external brokers and, if so, what will their roll be?
• What plans, if any, are there regarding monitoring and support, bearing in mind Safeguarding as many service users could be vulnerable to all aspects of abuse?
Elizabeth Richardson
Sue Trimming
12 May 2009
Notes from LINk Personalisation Task Group meeting 28th April 2009
Northumberland LINk has set up a task group to oversee all aspects of involvement in the transformation agenda within Northumberland. Annie Sanders took the following notes of the first task group meeting discussions:
Some discussion re who is needed on the Task group apart from those present. Suggestion included:
Wider representation from the public - danger that individuals’ own agenda gets too much attention
Wider representation of users and carers
Learning Disability Partnership Board representative
NCC - Adult Social Care, Chair of Health Committee
Age Concern
Northumbria Healthcare Trust, especially nursing
Mental Health, especially Partnership Board
People with physical disabilities
Direct Payments Reference Group
Discussion re where LINk should have input into Project Groups within the Transformation programme. Suggestions included Self-directed support, Customer Experience, Market and Community Development
Research question we need to ask:
What are the ranges of current costs for IB – thought lowest for mental health, then older people, people with physical disabilities, those with learning disabilities highest?
JELS – retail model?
Which of research methods should we use first?
What did NCT do with money for Personalisation agenda?
How are NCT spending the money this year?
Personal testimonies are useful to flag up issues but need to avoid getting embroiled in individual concerns too much
Sampling issues re testimonies
Sub-groups with focuses on different “constituents”. Link through databases
Need to bring evidence together
Annie Sanders
PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST
On 11th February 2009, Northumberland Care Trust launched 'Putting People First in Northumberland' at an event held at Newbiggin Sports & Community Centre. Information was provided on a national agreement between government and local councils about how adult social care services will change in the future to give more choice and control to people who use the services.
For more information: CLICK HERE
For more details please contact
Newcastle Heritage Partnership
C/O Ben Smith
Historic Environment Section
Strategy Housing, Planning & Transportation
Regeneration
Newcastle City Council
Civic Centre
Barras Bridge
Newcastle upon Tyne
Tel: 0191 277 7194
info@northumberlandlink.org.uk
www.northumberlandlink.org.uk
