Archived decisions

REPORT OF THE

EXECUTIVE MEMBER

ADULT SOCIAL CARE

PART II

    `ORDINARY PEOPLE LIVING ORDINARY LIVES' A LEARNING DISABILITY STRATEGY FOR HAMPSHIRE

    1. The Executive Member has approved the consultation on the draft Learning Disability Strategy for Hampshire entitled `Ordinary People Living Ordinary Lives' which will run for twelve weeks.

    2. This draft Strategy results from a partnership approach and effective joint-working through The Learning Disability Partnership Board. It seeks to underpin future allocation of resources and provide shared strategic direction for improving choice, independence and control of their lives for people with a Learning Disability and their carers in Hampshire.

    3. The task of the Learning Disability Partnership Boards (LDPB) is to implement 'Valuing  People'. Hampshire County Council, Southampton City Council & Portsmouth City Council Authorities each have a LDPB. Hampshire's board is chaired by Nick Georgiou, Director of Adult Services. Statutory sectors represented include social services, health bodies, housing, education, employment, independent providers and voluntary organisations and also Mencap.

    4. In Hampshire there are 2153 people with a learning disability receiving a service funded by Hampshire County Council Adult Services Department. The age pattern of people is roughly evenly spread, with there being a slight predominance of people aged 41 - 50. Of the 2153 people, 1176 are female and 975 are male. 39 people state that their ethnicity is not white and 48 people do not state their ethnicity. 6 people state that they are Asian, which represents 0.28% of the learning disability population. Across Hampshire, 0.84% of the general population are Asian, so there is a possibility that we are not meeting the social care needs of the Asian community.

    5. A need for a strategy has been identified since 2005. A "Commissioning Group" was established, reporting to the Partnership Board, with representatives from Hampshire County Council Adult Services Department, the Primary Care Trusts and the Voluntary and Community Sector with the remit of developing a Strategy Development Plan. This was produced in February 2007 and it set out the parameters for the proposed strategy.

    6. Preliminary discussions within the Partnership Board have welcomed this consultation in terms of both its process and timeliness. Service users, carers and staff delivering services have all stated the importance of this development to generate a clear articulation of service developments for the future.

    7. The strategy has been initially drafted by Hampshire County Council Adult Services Department and Hampshire Primary Care Trust, with progress being monitored by the Partnership Board. It responds to preliminary consultation with service users, carers, members of staff (Hampshire County Council) and the Voluntary and Community Sector. It is our intention to engage in a thorough consultation with all partner agencies over the next three months. Valuing People Now cannot be delivered effectively by Hampshire County Council Adult Services Department and Hampshire Primary Care Trust alone. It is our intention to ensure that other agencies have the opportunity to have meaningful input into the development of the strategy through the consultation process to ensure that they are fully engaged and supportive of the outcomes. There is presently significant momentum at local county level for a strategy that delivers the changes outlined.

    8. Organisations within Hampshire, through The Learning Disability Partnership Board, will work together to ensure that people with a learning disability will be able to enjoy the same basic rights as anyone else. They will be housed. They will be supported to find work that is suited to them. They will be able to enjoy time with friends and family and to take part in the county's social activities. Hampshire belongs to all its residents, including those with a learning disability.

    9. The proposed outcome is that people will be able to choose from a greater range of high quality integrated services and have greater control over the kind of care and support they receive.

    BISHOPS WALTHAM OLDER PERSONS' HOME

    1. The Executive Member has approved proposals for a scheme to maximise wellbeing, enhance the quality of place and improve safety for residents and staff at Bishops Waltham House.

    2. Bishops Waltham House is a three-storey building from which Adult Services provides residential care for older people. A scheme to provide emergency fire evacuation lifts was completed in 2007 and it is now proposed to carry out a scheme of internal refurbishment, reconfiguration, minor alterations and improvements to the facilities. Further fire precaution works will also be carried out to include the installation of a sprinkler system.

    3. The scheme consists of a general refurbishment to various areas on all three floors of the Home, to include:

    · provision of additional lounge/visitor spaces on the first and second floors

    · enlarged and improved bathroom facilities on the first and second floors

    · refurbishment of ground floor toilets

    · provision of six larger single-occupancy bedrooms with sitting area (to be formed from existing smaller bedrooms)

    · refurbishment of laundry area

    · redecoration/recarpeting of ground floor lounge

    · replacement of ground and first floor internal ceilings with one-hour fire-rated ceilings and second floor with half-hour fire-rated ceilings

    · upgrading of doors requiring smoke seals

    · associated passive fire precautions works

    · new call system

    · installation of sprinkler system

    4. The work will be carried out in two phases in order to ensure that disruption to residents is minimised and that the construction programme is realistic.

    5. There are currently 18 long-stay residents and on completion of the works, 36 residential places will be available.

            FELICITY HINDSON, MBE

            Executive Member for Adult Social Care