Contact: Penny Velander, Policy and Performance Officer, ext 7479

This information is intended to provide an `at-a-glance' summary for members and will lead into the option report which has been completed by the core review team

1 Purpose

1.1 The review will cover services for adults / older people with a sensory neeeds who require social intervention for their support. This will include the interface between health and social care to examine best practice in this area and look at approaches where integration may be more effective. The review will also cover administrative support for sensory services.

1.2 There is a statutory responsibility to assess the needs of anyone who may require a service under Section 47 of the NHS and Community Care Act 1989. In addition the legislative base for the service is under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, Section 4 of the Disabled Persons Act 1986 and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995

1.3 The Vision for this review is:

`Sensory services needs to operate within the social model of disability, recognising that society has a responsibility to meet the needs of those who are Deaf, hard of hearing or visually impaired.

Within this, staff involved in sensory services need to offer a consistent, high quality and accountable service which managed the care pathways across agency boundaries'

1.4 The following issues have been identified for the review:

a. The `whole systems approach' needs to be developed across agency boundaries and the role of rehabilitation services clarified

b. Strategic direction and planning needs to be developed in support of greater consistency throughout the County

c. Working relationships need to be improved with providers and all partners

d. The profile of sensory services needs to be raised

e. Meaningful involvement and consultation with users and carers needs to be achieved

f. The following human resource issues also need to be addressed:

- staff qualifications and competency based awards

- career pathways

- clinical supervision

- role and practice of contracted posts

- management of sensory teams in the recently remodelled department

- competency of managers within specialist teams

2 Evaluation of whether the review is meeting the Best Value principles

2.1 The core team set up four topic groups each to examine one of the following areas:

· Communication

· Processes

· People

· Partnerships

Each topic group included representatives from sensory service staff, carers, users, health and the voluntary sector. They were tasked with developing proposals to improve service structure and delivery.

2.2 The core team had already held an EFQM event in phase one.

2.3 Each of the four C's have been addressed and wide consultation with service users produced strong evidence on the effetiveness of the service. The core team also gave consideration to how the 4 key themes could play a larger part in the service.

2.4 The key finding coming out of this phase of the review is in connection with the capacity of the service to respond to the number of referrals made and waiting time for assessment (see point 3 in the main report)

3 Member involvement

3.1 The following members participated in this phase of the review:

· Cllr Frankum

4 Outcomes sought

4.1 Options presented to deliver service outcomes:

· Option One - Restructuring existing staff resources. This option has two parts. Part one focuses on a restructuring of the present 7 teams into four larger ones and part two recommends a new element to the service for supporting newly diagnosed clients

· Option Two - explores completely outsourcing the service

· Option Three - examines integrating the Sensory Services into existing physical disabilities or older persons teams

4.2 The review has also identified two service improvements which they feel should be implemented regardless of which option is chosen:

· Service improvement one - A programme for further training and development for all sensory staff to maximise their confidence and competency in the workplace and build a career framework

· Service improvement two - a networking group of representatives of Health, Social Services and the voluntary sector to meet quarterly to update on developments

5 The Review detail

5.1 Costs to date are £500 and an estimate of 80 officer days

5.2 The preferred option of the review is option one in conjunction with the two service improvements. This combination will build on the existing good practice within the service and develop further opportunities to increase capacity

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

· The Sensory Services Best Value review team develops an improvement plan based on Option One, in conjunction with the two service improvements

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

Records of the Sensory Services Best Value review team meetings and working papers of the Best Value Review, held by the Review Team Leader.