Citizen Directed Support Issue 4 Communication Bulletin October 2010

Communication Bulletin

The next full Citizen Directed Support newsletter will be out in November. But to keep you informed between newsletters, here’s another short news bulletin to let you know the latest developments. We’ve also included a calendar which summarises the events we know to be happening over the next few weeks. While some of these are not open events, we thought people would be interested to know what is going on ‘behind the scenes’.

C I T I Z E N

D I R E C T E D

S U P P O R T

Resource Allocation System Four members of staff from Swansea recently attended a workshop on developing a Resource Allocation System run by CIPFA. This was arranged by SSIA for the CDS Learning Information Network. The workshop took participants through all the steps necessary to carry out a desk-top exercise. It also looked at the implications for commissioning and lessons learnt from England. Here in Swansea, a random selection of service users from all client groups has been made in order to carry out a desk-top exercise. Nominated people from each service area will shortly begin this exercise, which starts by calculating the current cost for all these service users’ care plans. The next step is to compare the costs obtained by using a couple of different RASs, though it has not yet been decided which systems to use for the exercise.

Citizen Directed Support Issue 4 Communication Bulletin October 2010

The Annual Report and Strategic Delivery Plan for Adult Services This overview report (see http://staffnet/media/pdf/t/2/swansea-adult-services-report-2009-2010-delivery-plan-2010-11.pdf ) analyses our current effectiveness and sets out strategic, business and operational (customer facing) priorities for the coming year.

Overall the report shows that Adult Services has achieved its key performance targets and has received positive user and carer feedback, albeit with some variation across specialist service areas.

The Plan highlights significant areas of progress during the last twelve months and sets out the strategy for the transformation of Adult Services. We are committed to getting back to the core values of social work. This includes reducing bureaucracy and increasing the time available to develop meaningful relationships with customers, staff and stakeholders.

Models of care and support must be sustainable. To develop appropriate models for the future, we need to work collaboratively with citizens, staff and stakeholders. As part of the transformation Adult Services will need to focus more directly on supporting individuals to achieve agreed outcomes. We must also take a more strategic approach to meet the increasing demands and financial challenges facing all service areas.

To do this effectively we need to understand the expectations of our customers, to shape their aspirations for the future and to develop a framework to engage more meaningfully with people who use our services and their carers. If we succeed, the voice of Swansea citizens will be central to next year’s report.

Citizens Event on 6th December Plans are coming along for the Citizen’s Event. Responsibility for organising the event is shared between: • officers from Social Services • representatives of voluntary

organisations including SCVS, Disability Wales and Swansea Carers Centre

• citizens representing several groups who may be users of our services.

The event will involve active participation and will include: • a performance session by

citizens to illustrate personalisation

• film clips • workshops on Choice and

Control, Community Development and Involvement and Change

• plenty of opportunities for questions and feedback.

Around 100 people will be invited to the event, representing a wide range of service users. Following this event we hope to see the formation of a Swansea Citizens’ Alliance who can help us shape the future development of citizen directed support.

Citizen Directed Support Issue 4 Communication Bulletin October 2010

FORTHCOMING EVENTS When What Purpose For Whom For more

information 8th November 12.30 – 2.30

Citizens’ Reference Group

Planning for Citizen Event on 6th December

Representatives of various local groups and service users. By invitation

Jane Tonks 636645

10th November 10.00 – 1.00

Gorseinon Development Trust Citizen Meeting

To encourage people to join Citizens’ Network and get involved in Time Together

Service users and other citizens living in Gorseinon area. By invitation.

Jane Tonks 636645

16th November 2.30

Direct Payments Peer Support Group

To help Direct Payment users prepare for a reassessment of their needs

Anyone who receives a Direct Payment.

Andrew Hubbard 511343

17th November

My Home Life Wales National Seminar in Cardiff

Realising quality of life in care homes

Anyone working in or with care homes. Free

Laura Jones, Age UK 029 2043 1555

22nd & 23rd November

Person Centred Thinking course

An introduction to the tools used in Person Centred Thinking

Staff in Adult Services (attendance to be agreed by the Steering Group)

Ceri Jones 636071

29th November 1.00 – 3.00

Citizens’ Reference Group

Planning for Citizen Event on 6th December

Representatives of various local groups and service users. By invitation

Jane Tonks 636645

25th November 11.00 – 3.00

Wales Alliance for Citizen Directed Support Special General Meeting

Updates and plans for developments in citizen-directed support

Members of Alliance. To be held in Newtown

Community Lives Consortium646640

26th November 10.00 – 1.00

Gorseinon Development Trust Citizen Meeting

To encourage people to join Citizens’ Network and get involved in Time Together

Service users and other citizens living in Gorseinon area. By invitation.

Jane Tonks 636645

29th November am

Workshop on Personalisation in Communities

To understand what the personal-isation of Social Services means to communities

Social Services and Community Regeneration staff. By invitation.

Heather Hughes 636289

6th December 10.30 – 3.30

Citizen Event An introduction to citizen-directed support and what it means for the public

Representatives of local groups. By invitation

Jane Tonks 636645

Citizen Directed Support Issue 4 Communication Bulletin October 2010

Effective Use of Direct Payments A recent review of Direct Payment packages in Older People’s Services showed big discrepancies. Some really good packages of care have included Direct Payments used in very outcome-focused and creative ways, whilst other service users had received a Direct Payment as an ‘extra’ for ineligible needs. It’s important to remember that a Direct Payment in lieu of a service doesn’t automatically mean the service user needs the full amount of the cost of the service in their Direct Payment. We’d like to encourage staff to be creative and ask the client what they are trying to achieve – the outcomes – and with them establish how to best do this. While we can pay out as much as a traditional service would cost when this is what the alternative costs, a Direct Payment should only provide as much money as is required to meet the service user’s needs. For example, someone whose needs could happily be met by going out for a pub meal, and perhaps being introduced into a group to do activities they enjoy, would not need the full £40 in lieu of a day service to cover their costs. And in some cases, a Direct Payment can be scaled down or tailed off after a while when the person has settled in to their new routine and perhaps established new community support networks.

Direct Payments Workshops A series of workshops is currently taking place with Adult Services Teams, looking at the Consultation on the new WAG Community Care Direct Payments Policy and Practice Guide. This is likely to result in legislative changes which will broaden the scope of Direct Payments and make it easier for people who lack capacity or are subject to Mental Health Act restrictions to receive Direct Payments. Workshops have already been held with the Central and North Older People’s Teams and the Community Support Team. On 27th October there will be a workshop with the Morriston Hospital Team, and on 24th November with the Younger Adults Team. For more information contact Mariann Hewitt on 636445 or email Mariann.hewitt@swansea.gov.uk

Citizen Directed Support Issue 4 Communication Bulletin October 2010

Next Newsletter The next newsletter will be published before Christmas. Feedback from previous newsletters tells us that people particularly enjoy reading the personal stories, so we’d really like more contributions from staff to share with colleagues. Pease send us: • Case studies of successful outcomes and/or community involvement • Personal stories from service users • Useful hints or tips you’d like to share with others We’re also interested in comments, feedback or questions in respect of articles in previous newsletters. And of course we welcome contributions from partners and providers as well as from Social Services. Editorial team: Helen Barney 636902 helen.barney@swansea.gov.uk Angela Morgan 636414 angela.morgan@swansea.gov.uk

Getting Councillors on Board On 1st October an event was held to introduce both Elected Members and local Community Councillors to the Gorseinon Project and the concept of time banking. The event was well attended, and the councillors were both interested and enthusiastic about the project and how it could help the community. Deborah Driffield and Jane Tonks have also made a presentation to the Overview and Scrutiny Board on community support, focusing on both Gorseinon and Mumbles. This was well received. As a result Board members will shortly be visiting Blaengarw to gain a better understanding of how time banking works there and will be meeting with the Gorseinon Project Steering Group for further discussions. The Board will receive a follow-up briefing on work with communities in March.