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SSNW eNews No 8 September 2001
The email Newsletter of Social Services North West
Interactive edition - click on the blue links to go directly to more information
Page 1: Facing the future
At the Annual Meeting at Blackburn on 14 September, members chose to adopt Social Services North West as the substantive name in the revised constitution and rules. Conscious of the proud history of the North West Association of Social Services Authorities (NWASSA), members nonetheless decided that Social Services North West was the right title for the organisation as we head into the future.
The meeting also:
- re-elected Councillor Cliff Morris of Bolton as Chair, and elected Councillor Ken Keith (Knowsley) as Deputy Chair for the forthcoming year
- approved other revisions to the Constitution and Rules to reflect recent decisions
- endorsed the comments sent to the Department of Health on restructuring the NHS, and called for responses to be made on two further documents (see Page 2)
- received the results of national and regional surveys of the financial position in social services authorities, and called for a campaign involving Ministers, MPs and the LGA to highlight members’ concerns (see Page 3)
- called for a further report on the difficulties around commissioning residential placements for children (see Page 3)
- called on members to support the North West Training and Development Team for Learning Disability for a further three years (see Page 4)
- backed the arrangements for the 26 September conference on the Valuing People White Paper (see Page 4)
Learning disability is new top issue
Social Services North West reviewed its past year’s activity at its Annual Meeting, and picked its four key issues for the forthcoming year’s work programme.
Last year, the main priorities for the Work Programme were Working with the NHS; Performance Assessment and Quality; Quality Protects and Children’s Issues; and Financial Issues. A total of six possible issues was identified in May 2001, but to reduce this to a workable number, a questionnaire was circulated in August to the newly appointed Members and Deputy Members. The result is that these are the Big Four for 2001/02
- Working with the NHS
- Learning Disability
- Financial Issues
- Quality Protects and Children Issues
Click here to go to the report on the Annual Report 2000-01 and the Work Programme 2001-02
Log on to www.ssnw.org.uk
All the news of SSNW, and our reports and papers, are on our website, updated each Monday morning.
Page 2: Speaking out on NHS issues
Rapid responses to rapid change
The prediction at the last meeting of rapid and radical changes in the NHS were proved correct with the publication of two key documents: Shifting the Balance of Power within the NHS - Securing Delivery and Department of Health - Focusing on Delivery. These were followed early in September by two further key papers: a discussion document on Involving Patients and the Public in Healthcare and a consultation on the boundaries of the new Strategic Health Authorities.
Responses were required to all these documents against a short timescale, SSNW members were told at their Blackburn meeting on 14 September, as legislation is likely in the Autumn. Each of the documents raises important issues for local government and social care interests which need to be monitored and commented upon.
Points made to the Department in response to the Shifting the Balance document included:
- welcome for the principles set out, particularly the commitments to supporting delivery at the front line, and to encouraging partnerships in health and local government to ensure integration between health and social care.
- Unease about the rapid and radical change which is planned to take place simultaneously at all four levels in the NHS. This was bound to lead to instability within the leadership and management of the NHS, and deflect attention from the many demanding targets currently facing the health and social care system.
- Welcome for the devolution of a large proportion of NHS budgets to PCTs, and their key role in local planning. Our member authorities are involved in (and often leading) a rapidly increasing number of joint projects between health and local authority services, and joint managerial appointments
- Voluntary partnerships are seen as key to the successful integration of health and social care at the point of delivery to service users. Voluntary local agreements will achieve far more than centrally-imposed arrangements, be they Care Trusts or otherwise.
- We welcome the recognition that local government has much to bring to the table where promoting the well-being of individuals, families and communities is concerned.
- There is a need to develop more models of ‘what works’, and the means of spreading good practice. There must be a focus on the wider preventive agenda, involving local government and primary care as key players. The arrangements for overview and scrutiny of the NHS by local authorities need more work, as do those for public and patient representation in relation to NHS bodies.
- Social Services North West has valued its working relationship over many years with the North West Regional Office of the NHS Executive, and this continues as close as ever today. We hope to develop equally close links with the new Regional Director of Health and Social Care, as well as with the three Strategic Health Authorities in the North West.
- We assure the Department of Health of our commitment to maximise the partnership between health and social care at every level within the North West, and hope to be able to operate within a framework of constructive co-operation towards our shared objectives.
Responses will also be made to the other DH consultation documents. The paper Involving Patients and the Public in Healthcare introduces the concept of VOICE organisations at national and sub-regional level: however, it is a matter for concern that they will operate at the same tier as Strategic Health Authorities, ie only three in the whole North West region.
Positive meetings were held in July with the umbrella organisation for Community Health Councils in the North West, and a programme of joint work was agreed. A further meeting was held with regional Department of Health colleagues, at which steady progress was evident towards the objectives highlighted by Social Services North West representatives at earlier meetings.
Click here to go to the main report on Working with the NHS
Click here to go to the supplementary report on Working with the NHS
Page 3: Concerns on finance - and children costs
Survey reveals budget plight of councils
Members of Social Services North West heard the results of both regional and national surveys on social services funding at their 14 September meeting in Blackburn. They voiced their concern about the serious long-term underfunding of social services, and urged that the MP’s in the areas covered by member authorities be invited to a meeting to spell out the gravity of the situation.
Each authority should also lobby their MPs, and a delegation should be sent to London to discuss the matter with Ministers. We should also engage with the LGA to ensure the issues are addressed.
Key findings from the survey included:
- Social services authorities are finding it increasingly difficult to meet their statutory obligations. A substantial majority (87% nationally) thought that they would not have enough money to meet projected demand from all those eligible for help.
- Most are therefore tightening eligibility rules to ‘choke off’ this source of financial pressure. The pressures of demand created by statutory responsibility, market capacity, workforce availability and need are considerable.
- Across the region, expenditure was expected to be some £21 million (or 1.5 %) in excess of that budgeted for the financial year 2000/01.
- One-off government ‘Winter Pressures’ money (Health Authority direct contributions) was significant in reducing delayed discharges etc. A clear message was that longer term, more certain funding was urgently needed.
- The pressures on the budget due to the rising costs and demand for placements, especially for foster care and children with disabilities, were emphasised: these account for the majority of social services overspend.
- Rising costs and demands in the adult care sector were highlighted by half the respondents. Extra funding would for instance facilitate more preventative work and extra intensive support for individuals discharged to their own homes.
- Learning disability budgetary pressures were highlighted, including the cost of intensive home care and supported packages, increasingly complex cases, the transition from childhood to adulthood, ageing carers and the demands created by the recent White Paper.
- Eleven authorities (55%) said that in their view the budget position in 2001/02 had worsened compared to 2000/01 (one being much worse).
- Twelve respondents (60%) estimated that overspend is likely in 2002/03. Another two respondents are considering reducing services or increasing waiting lists as overspend is not an option; others find it difficult to estimate at this stage.
Members resolved to urge member authorities to press the issue in every possible way with Ministers, MPs and the LGA.
Another report to the Blackburn meeting addressed members’ concerns about the rising cost of out-of-authority and especially private sector placements for children, and whether a more regional approach could be developed.
The report prepared for the ADSS (NW) two years ago in conjunction with NCH Action for Children and the University of Central Lancashire was highlighted. The need to look at good examples of joint working between authorities, the benefits of earlier intensive intervention in child care episodes, and a more planned approach to out of authority placements, were recognised. The meeting was told that commissioning was a real priority issue in the region and the Quality Protects Reference Group NW will be staging an event later this year to highlight the issue. Effective work was already underway in the region, including co-operation between neighbouring authorities and greater use of small residential units.
Members called for a further report to the December meeting, to make recommendations for progress.
Page 4: Learning Disability - SSNW's new key issue
The issue of services to people with learning disabilities has been selected by Social Services North West members as one of the top four issues in their work programme for 2001/02 (see Page 1) This year’s White Paper on the issue highlights once again an issue that has been near the top of this organisation’s priorities for nearly 20 years
Whilst the ten-year joint strategy for the closure of the long-stay hospitals was completed in 1999, the organisation has retained its interest in this field, noting last year the Government guidance entitled ‘No Secrets’, on developing and implementing multi-agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse. The publication of the White Paper Valuing People - shaping the future for people with learning disability in the Spring of this year also raises a raft of issues for members of local authorities and their counterparts in health organisations.
Social Services North West has combined forces with regional Department of Health colleagues in both SSI and NHS North West to showcase these two key documents for members of Local Authorities, Non-Executive Directors of Health Authorities, Primary Care Groups, Primary Care Trusts and NHS Trusts, and their Senior Managers. With particular relevance to the ‘No Secrets’ session, Chief Constables and members of police authorities have also been invited.
The conference is one of a series of events across the North West region, to highlight the key messages of the White Paper and promote discussion between agencies about the more immediate challenges and actions required at the local level. It.is scheduled for Wednesday 26 September at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton, and promises to be the best attended of the seven conferences SSNW has held in the last year, with over 100 people registered to attend.
Training and Development Team supported for three more years
The North West Training and Development Team has operated in the region since the mid 1980’s. Originally set up by the previous North Western Regional Health Authority, the Team played a major role in development and training activity associated with the resettlement from Mental Handicap Hospitals, jointly co-ordinated by Health and Local Authorities. NWASSA played an instrumental role in this process and has supported the NWTDT over this period. The NWTDT is currently funded by all Health Authorities and Social Service Departments in the area covered by the NHS Executive North West.
The Team provides policy advice, development projects, consultancy, training programmes and produces and commissions briefings and guidance publications. The mission of the Team incorporates working at the interface between the needs and aspirations of people with learning disabilities and their families and the commissioning and delivery of services by responsible agencies. In this way the Team is able to help in supporting the voice of people and their families and to provide practical support in assisting agencies to interpret and implement policy. This activity is particularly important in the context of the new White Paper.
Some key strengths of the Team are its:
- multi stakeholder composition, including people from a range of professions and backgrounds
- linkages to the policy and operational infrastructure in the North West
- links and relationships with family carers and self advocates
- good connections with academic bodies and other development agencies and consultants
Social Services North West resolved that the Annual Report and Outline Work Programme of the NWTDT be endorsed, and that authorities be recommended to agree the extension of their subscription funding until 31 March 2004
Click here to go to the agenda of the 14 September meeting at Blackburn
Click here to go to the minutes of the 14 September meeting at Blackburn
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