feature: Delivering a better service
4 January 2008
Adult social care is an area of work by local authorities which doesn’t usually grab the headlines. But the service provides invaluable help and support to thousands of elderly and vulnerable people in the borough.
Key Priorities
The service’s key priorities are to:
- Encourage lifetime well-being;
- Promote independent living; and
- Deliver excellent, cost-effective services.
A review of the performance of the service for 2006/07 has shown that:
- There was a substantial increase in the number of people with mental health problems who were helped to live at home;
- Over 80 per cent of assessments of clients’ needs were carried out within 28 days;
- Over 90 per cent of care packages were provided within 28 days of the completion of assessment – among the best in the country;
- Almost nine out of 10 people receive the equipment they need – such as hoists and lifts to help them in and out of bed or the bath – within seven days; and
- 45 people with learning disabilities were helped into paid employment and 61 people into voluntary work.
Cllr Bob Harris, cabinet member for adult social care, said:
“Helping elderly and vulnerable people is an essential service provided by any council.
“This review of the performance of adult social care shows that we are providing better services more people.”
In the coming year the service aims to continue to improve the rehabilitation work it offers to people helping to prevent hospital admissions and continue to promote independent living for frail and vulnerable people through the community alarm service scheme.
Haringey has been given a one-star rating – described as “adequate”, but with a promising capacity to improve – by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, but there has been substantial improvement in ranking compared to other authorities – moving from 143rd to 96th.
The service was good in three out of seven areas and adequate in four.
A more recent internal assessment of the service showed that further improvements have been made this year since the CSCI inspection, projected to put us in the top banding in the country for 16 areas out of 22.
In 2006/07, the service:
- Supported 550 people using day care services
- Looked after 650 people in residential or nursing homes
- Supported 4,500 people using our safe and sound community alarm service
- Delivered more than 10,000 hours of home care per week and
- Delivered more than 400 meals on wheels every day
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