Agenda item

To consider and comment on the progress in implementing the Sandwell Day Services Transformation Plan, specifically in relation to Learning Disability Day Services.

The Board noted the progress on the changes in the delivery of Learning Disability Day Services.

The Council had worked with Changing Our Lives to ensure that the direction of travel was right and reflected service user feedback.  The feedback had informed the vision for day services, which was:-

·      To provide building-based day care only to those who need it.

·      Day Opportunities in the community for those who are more independent.

·      New and diverse day opportunities on a pick and mix basis that supports “An Ordinary Life”.

·      The right day opportunities identified and brokered for the individual.

·      Strength based and Independence Focussed.

Building-based services had reopened in autumn 2021 to people with most-complex needs, which had facilitated respite for carers and families.  However, the Omicron variant had delayed further progression until March 2022, when reopening of more building-based services would begin, but primarily with efforts to expand the community offer.

About 80% of service users receiving externally commissioned support were now receiving some level of support.  More people were choosing to be supported in their own homes or through engaging in community-based activities (e.g. meeting over a coffee) as an alternative to the traditional day service model. Where it was possible, service users were offered a mixed model of support, including engagement  in volunteering opportunities in the community. Feedback indicated that service users, families and carers supported this model.

About 280 people in Sandwell were enrolled on day services with providers in Sandwell, of whom 171 had a learning disability (LD). The largest provider in Sandwell, who in total supported 89 people with LD, now offered outreach and community support to 58 of those and the rest were accessing formal building-based service. There were additional 6 providers of services for people with LD. 100-120 people were currently supported in in-house day services on a weekly basis.

The Council continued to work with providers to facilitate the shift into more community and strength-based approach of delivering day services. The main challenge for providers involved staffing, building-based service.

The pandemic had allowed for the introduction of a 12-week assessment pathway for people transitioning from children’s services into adult services. Traditionally people going through transition were allocated a package of care and went directly into the service.  The 12-week period would include a thorough assessment of need but would also allow the individual to have a say in the activities and opportunities they wished to access.  A Community Navigation Service was also being developed alongside this, which would identify opportunities such as employment, training, volunteering and other activities that promoted independence.

A postural care workstream was also being developed, alongside health professionals and Portway Leisure Centre, to deliver postural care training to service users with physical ailments to further support them in being to engage in the activities they wanted to. 

Further work was needed to embed the 12-week assessment pathway and the changes started internally with external providers. The promotion of direct payments would continue, which would support the developed of individualised packages.

The following was noted in response to questions and comments:-

·      The 12-week assessment pathway would focus initially on those coming through transitions through schools from 14/15 years old.  On average this equated to 25-30 people a year.  Referrals would be made through a dedicated social work team dealing with young adults.

·      Portway Leisure Centre was designed in mind for people with disabilities, including the adult social care space.  A significant number of service users also used their passes to access leisure centres at locations close to where they lived.

·      There was currently no capacity within the adult social care team to provide tailored support to service users at all Sandwell leisure centres, but this would be looked at including as part of the mix of weekly activities for service users.

·      The Service Manager – Commissioning and Integration undertook to provide members with data on direct payments.

·      There was no defined timescale for the completion of service changes and teams were guided by service users, as well as timescales on the lifting of coronavirus restrictions. 

·      Service users receiving care at home were prioritised for engagement as this cohort had been impacted on the most during the pandemic.  Those people in supported living facilities would be focussed on next for engagement, followed by residential care users.

·      Changing Our Lives was also engaging with service users and provided continual feedback to the Council on what was working well and what could be improved.

·      There was still work to do with local businesses to develop appropriate opportunities for people with learning disabilities.  Community navigators were also working with local businesses to match people to opportunities.

·      Service users would continue to receive support when engaging in employment or volunteering opportunities and their situation would be monitored to ensure they were safe. Conversations were ongoing for the Council’s Employment Team to offer additional mentoring support.

Resolved that a further update on the transformation of day care services be presented to a future meeting and that service users and representatives from Changing Our Lives be invited to present their experiences to the Board.