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PRESS RELEASE
From
Social Services North West
31 August 2000
"WE'LL RISE TO THE CHALLENGE ON QUALITY", SAY NORTH WEST CARE CHIEFS
Social services councillors across the North West this week welcomed the Government's new strategy for promoting
high-quality social care services. They seek a partnership with the Department of Health and others to make it
a reality.
Councillor Cliff Morris (Bolton), Chair of Social Services North West, said, "We are already committed to
making our services as good as they can be, and we will work with the Government and others to make them even better"
Social Services North West speaks for the local authorities in the North West of England which have responsibility
for personal social services for older people, disabled people and children. Its key aim is to promote high quality
services in the North West.
The Government's Quality Strategy is about building social services across the whole country that:
· promote independence, by supporting people to achieve their potential
· strengthen families, by supporting parental responsibility
· improve the life chances of children in need, including children in care
· are a dynamic, positive force in tackling inequality and promoting social inclusion.
They plan to modernise on three fronts, by tackling inconsistencies in services (through producing authoritative
and accessible guidelines on effective social care practice and service delivery), by delivering excellence at
local level via a new quality framework, and by improving workforce training.
At the local level, the new Quality Framework will mean:
· formal arrangements for local councillors to fulfil their responsibilities for the quality of local social services
· clear lines of accountability at local level: the quality of care will be the direct responsibility of the director of social services
· a full commitment to staff development and training through the introduction of lifelong learning
· a clear focus on the establishment of local partnerships -with users and carers, with local health services, with the local community - to develop new ways of delivering services
· regular and rigorous assessment of local council's performance in achieving agreed goals.
"The Government is setting a formidable agenda", said Cllr Morris, "but we share its objectives
of ensuring a better deal for those who use our services. Our staff are our most important asset in making this
happen, and we support a better deal for them in training and development for their vital roles. There is also
much to be thought through about the accountability of councillors and directors for driving up quality.
"Social Services North West will work with its members to examine this strategy in detail, and to identify
how we can help, both regionally and locally, to achieve the objectives we all share. We look for a partnership
involving central and local government, the NHS and the educational institutions to bring this about."
"Achieving excellence is never easy, particularly when resources remain tight," concluded Councillor
Morris, "but the people who need our services deserve no less."
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