Contact: Glyn Jones Ext: 7208

1 Summary

The following decisions are sought.

1.1 To agree that area based sensory services be consolidated into four larger teams

1.2 To agree that a new service ("First Focus") be introduced to improve the care pathway for people with acquired sensory needs, subject to resource availability.

2 Reason(s)

2.1 Consolidating the sensory teams will serve to increase the amount of peer, professional and clinical support practitioners receive, enabling them to enhance the service offered to vulnerable people. It will also raise the profile of the service, improve consistency of service response and, via an economy of scale, deliver an estimated 4% reduction in waiting time for assessments.

2.2 The "First Focus" service has been designed to substantially reduce the longest waiting time for assessment. Earlier assessment and intervention with people who have acquired sensory needs supports their retention of independence within the community, potentially leading to less use of residential care.

3 Other options considered and rejected

3.1 Outsourcing core elements of the service to the voluntary sector

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision-maker or a Member or Officer consulted

4.1 None

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1 Not applicable

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

Not applicable

Approved by: Date of decision:

Councillor Felicity Hindson

Contact: Glyn Jones Ext: 7208

1 Summary

1.1 This report presents the outcomes and improvement plan resulting from the review of Sensory Services. At the meeting of 14/3/03 the Social Care Policy Review Committee received a report outlining the options for improvement. This report asks the Executive Member to agree an improvement plan based on the main options which are detailed below.

1.2 To consolidate the deployment of area based sensory workers into 4 larger teams

1.3 The proposal is to rationalise the number of sensory teams down to 4 larger teams. This will reduce longest waiting times regionally, through both economies of scale and an enhanced ability to deploy staff to cover the absence of colleagues. However its principal aim is to enhance the fitness of the service to deliver high quality and consistent responses through:

- increasing clinical, professional and peer support

- raising the profile of the service, to promote effective intradepartmental working practices

- developing a skilled workforce with access to professional qualifying courses thereby supporting the retention of staff within the service

1.4 To introduce a new service ("First Focus") to the care pathway, so that information and support can be given much earlier to people with recently diagnosed sensory needs

1.4.1 Based in tertiary Health care settings, this dedicated service will provide advice, information and support to people with a recently diagnosed sensory loss. To facilitate mutual client emotional support and maximise the efficiency of this service, it is intended that they be conducted on a group, rather than individual, basis. Where more complex individual needs are identified by this service, more detailed work can be undertaken with that person subsequently.

1.4.2 Projections indicate that this change in the care pathway will result in an average 68% reduction in the longest waiting times for assessment, whilst simplifying the process through which vulnerable people access social care services. Service users in Authorities that have adopted this approach (e.g. Islington) have had positive experiences, with benefits seen to include:

- retention of independence

- mitigating against the emotional impact of acquired sensory loss, which can profoundly affect functional abilities

- reducing risk to the individual and the perception of risk, both major contributory factors in the use of residential care

1.4.3 The development of the `First Focus' service involves the reconfiguration of the existing service together with an additional 9.7 fte posts and associated administrative support. The indicative cost of this is £271,000. The initiative will be introduced in a phased way as and when departmental resources allow.

2 Improvement plan

Performance indicators:

- regional variation in longest waiting times for assessment

- %ge reduction in longest waiting times for assessment

- client satisfaction ratings

Performance indicators:

- regional variation in longest waiting times for assessment

- %ge reduction in longest waiting times for assessment

- client satisfaction ratings

RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Executive Member approves the following

1. The consolidation of area based Sensory Services into 4 larger teams

2. Agree in principle the move towards the adoption of the "First Focus" service, to drive down waiting times for the assessment of acquired sensory needs subject to resource availability.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

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.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act

None