Council agrees a new approach to services for older people
Friday, January 29 2010
Scottish Borders Council has agreed to take a radical new approach to its provision of services for older people.
This follows the most thorough review of older people’s services ever carried out in the Borders. The proposals respond to feedback from the Council's three month public engagement, which took place over the summer.
Council officers attended meetings across the Borders including public meetings, meetings with staff, area committees and community councils. In addition, written responses were invited and received. All of these comments have been carefully considered and the Elder Voice, an independent Borders based voluntary organisation, has scrutinised all the responses to ensure that all the key themes raised have been addressed in the revised proposals.
A number of changes were made to the recommendations as a result of the consultation, including extending the range of services available in smaller communities and extending the range of activities provided.
The Council debated the report and considered the 44 recommendations proposed to modernise services for older people for the next 10 years and beyond. All recommendations were agreed in principle and a further report, detailing costings and timescales for the proposals will be brought back to Council for approval on 22 April.
In the new service, greater focus will be placed on supporting people to maintain their independence for as long as possible. This approach builds on the success of projects such as intermediate care services which provide short term intensive rehabilitation, the night support and rapid response services.
Councillors supported the vision for services and new models of care provision, including a new role for Council care homes, social centres, housing with care and extra care housing.
Capital expenditure of £1m is proposed to enable the redesign and modernise the Council’s own care home provision.
It is recognised that social work cannot provide such a range of services on its own and the revised proposals include more joint working with the NHS and new arrangements with the housing sector to be delivered in partnership with housing and care providers.
Councillor David Raw, Executive Member for Social Work, said: “These changes are essential if we are to continue to meet our obligations to the growing numbers of older people who will need our support in the future. The Social Work Department has come up with a comprehensive set of recommendations and tested them against public opinion."
Director of Social Work Andrew Lowe said: "This is a review for the long term and it is not a quick fix. We have put before members a considered way forward that has the potential to both make efficiencies and provide additional investment in the years to come.
“The Council is taking the first step on this long and important journey by approving the recommendations in principle. The next step is to bring forward the detailed and costed propsals that will allow us to achieve them.”
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