News In The Hebden Bridge List

Calderdale Council Committed To Improving Standards

Calderdale Council has welcomed the findings of this year’s annual assessment by the Care Quality Commission. But the Council says much still needs to be done to ensure that the borough’s most vulnerable residents receive the help they need.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member, for Adult, Health and Social Care, Cllr. Graham Reason, was responding following publication of the Care Quality Commission’s Annual Inspection.

The report says the Council is performing well in providing a range of adult social care services.

“This report comes as no surprise because our own staff and those of our partners are working hard to bring about improvement in all areas. So while it’s pleasing that the Commission has found the Council to be performing well, it doesn’t mean that we can in any way be complacent about the services we offer,” said Cllr Reason.

“If we are to provide excellent services, then there is still a great deal of work to be done. We will continue to strive with our partners to provide better services for the people of Calderdale.”

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. It aims to make sure better care is provided for everyone, whether that’s in hospital, in care homes, in people’s own homes, or elsewhere. It carries out annual inspections of health and social care services provided by all local authorities.

The Council is assessed on seven separate outcomes:

• Improved health and emotional well-being
• Improved quality of life
• Making a positive contribution
• Increased choice and control
• Freedom from discrimination and harassment
• Economic well-being
• Maintaining personal dignity and respect

In its report, the Commission says the Council is working particularly well with NHS Calderdale to provide a range of services and is making particularly good progress on ensuring people’s good health and well-being.

“The Council has strong partnership arrangements in place with NHS Calderdale and other providers. This has resulted in a joined up approach to tackling health and wellbeing. Both the Council and NHS Calderdale have worked together in a successful bid to become one of nine areas across England to participate in the Government’s Healthy Towns initiative.

Some of the other areas that the Commission said the Council performed well in were:

• Services provided following on from the successful POPPs project for older people
• Partnership working to improve the quality of people’s lives in their own homes
• Engaging with people who use the services and their carers
• Encouraging volunteering opportunities for people
• Increasing the choice and control over services that people have
• Resources targeted on work with people from BME communities and hard to reach groups
• Training to ensure that all staff are confident and competent to deal with safeguarding issues.

Cllr. Reason said that while the report highlighted much good practice, it also identified a number of areas where the Council needed to continue to work to further improve services.

Among the areas identified for further improvement are:

• Improving access to direct payments and individual budgets for people who need the services
• Providing employment opportunities for people who access services including carers
• A single point of access for everyone who uses adult social care
• Continuing to improve the quality of services provided to people in Calderdale to ensure that they are not placed at risk

“Adult health and social care has seen great change in the way services are delivered,” said Cllr Reason.

“There is a great deal of good work taking place, but there is a need to improve in other areas.For example, we know we have to help drive up the standard of care homes in the private sector.”

“Lots of older people want to stay living locally when they need residential care and so choose to move into a home which is not good or excellent so they can stay close to their families. We need to improve the choice of excellent homes available to people across the borough.”

Cllr Reason stated that Calderdale Council have already:

• Introduced a premium which is an additional fee only paid to good and excellent homes which is designed as an incentive
• Provided a wide range of training free to staff working in care homes
• Set up a working party to take an in-depth look at how care homes in the private sector can be improved
• Agreed a new joint contract with the health service which sets out expected standards

Adding that: “We are also introducing personal budgets, to make it easier for people to choose the care they need, when they need it. The number of people in receipt of direct payments at the end of October was 289 . . . well ahead of our Local Area Agreement targets.

“We’ve provided employment opportunities within the Council for people with learning difficulties. The recently opened Flutterbites cafe in Manor Heath Park provides 12 jobs for people with learning disabilities. In February 2010 we will be launching Gateway to Care a and simpler way of accessing adult social care services”

“Wherever we can, we will work with our partners to ensure that people are able to stay in control of their lives and play a full and active role in society.”

Related Articles: Are CMBC Cashing In On The Recession?