1 Summary

1.1 This report provides Members with an early opportunity to consider the draft Consultation and Involvement Strategy for the Social Services Department. The strategy was approved by The Departmental Management Team as a draft but it has yet to be released for formal consultation with users and carers in the County.

1.2 The report further sets out the proposed consultation and implementation process which will be undertaken in partnership with users and carers.

2 Introduction

2.1 The Audit Commission in its overall review of the process of Joint Reviews and their outcomes - `Old virtues, new virtues', - stated "Since 1996 users have become more actively involved in decisions and plans made by councils about their care. The best councils involve users in the big decisions about how money is spent and how services need to be developed." (Audit Commission 2004)

2.2 This draft strategy will build on existing good practice within the Department by providing a framework through which the process and outcomes of consultation and involvement can be identified and highlighted in working in partnership with the users and carers we consult with.

3 Draft Consultation and Involvement Strategy - ` Completing the Circle'

3.1 The draft strategy is attached in full at Appendix 1. The strategy was developed in partnership with key users and carers in response to an identified need to clarify process and opportunities for users and carers as well as ensure particularly that users and carers are able to receive information on what has happened as a result of consultation - popularly known as `feed-back' - hence the title of the Strategy - `Completing the Circle'.

3.2 Aim 5 of The Corporate Strategy will be met by improving services through involving users and carers and building on their input in the process of developing services. Aim 1 of The Corporate Strategy will be met by improving access to high quality caring services through the process of individual consultation and involvement.

3.3 The Race Relations Amendment Act requires that all policies are impact assessed. This draft strategy will ensure that users and carers from black and ethnic minority communities are consulted and that their views are incorporated in service plans. See Standard 4 of Appendix 1 to this report, which specifically relates to these issues and can and will be measured and reported on.

3.4 This draft strategy builds on The Hampshire Compact particularly in relation to communication and dialogue and supports the principles inherent in The Compact.

3.5 Implementation of this strategy will enable the Social Services Department to evidence the process and content of consultation and involvement. In particular evidence of consultation and involvement activity will be embedded within reports to the Departmental Management Team and Members.

3.6 Importantly mechanisms will be developed to audit this process to clarify to users and carers what is happening.

4 Current Consultation and Involvement Activity

4.1 The Department is currently involved in a wide range of consultation and involvement ranging from individual assessments by care managers, unit based consultation fora, active involvement on local planning fora, to involvement at strategic care group levels. In addition there is a wide range of local independent groups representing in a variety of ways, the views of users and carers.

4.2 There are wide differences between care groups in methods of consultation and involvement, however these are due to specific needs and demands of the care groups concerned. Early discussions with the care group leads indicate that this draft strategy is not in conflict with existing mechanisms. Indeed it builds on those mechanisms by ensuring and identifying the continued flow of information through and across the department and to Members.

4.3 There is limited evidence of a clear, formal and systematic connection between the diverse consultation and involvement that occurs throughout the organisation and the planning and policy development processes of the organisation.

4.4 Many users and carers report `consultation fatigue' by which is meant a growing disenchantment with the process in that people feel they are constantly having to repeat the same matters as well as not being able to see the outcomes of what they have discussed.

5 Proposed Consultation and Implementation

5.1 In order to develop a degree of `ownership' by users and carers of this strategy a small steering group is being established of representatives from each of the main care groups to both manage the consultation process and ensure a wide range of consultation and identifying the key implementation issues.

5.2 This short life steering group will start to meet in October 2004 under the joint chairmanship of Richard Parry (Acting County Manager) and Philip Mason (Direct Payments Service User).

5.3 Following the completion of this work a further report with the final version of the strategy will be brought to this committee. It is expected that this will take place in April 2005.

6 Conclusion

Presentation to, and consideration of this draft strategy by Members is an integral part of the consultation process. A final version will be presented next spring to Members as well as publicly launched to users and carers.

7 Recommendation

Members are asked to consider the strategy and suggest any amendments to it.

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 of confidential information as defined in the Act.

None