The Social Services and Well-being Act (Wales) asks us to strengthen our approach to Adult Safeguarding. It will transform the way Social Services are delivered and promotes peoples independence, it asks us to ensure that our customers are at the centre of what we do and that we consult and listen to them. Within disability services, the adults we work with often have communication difficulties and this presents a challenge to ensure their views are heard. Involving them in the POVA process is a challenge we needed to address, particularly with regard to POVA investigations. [Read more…]

The Code of Practice for Social Care Workers sets down the standards of conduct, so workers know what is expected of them and the public know what to expect from workers. [Read more…]

The Social Services and Well Being (Wales) Act requires considerable preparation for its implementation in April 2016. and at the time when planning this training in Conwy  there was no concrete details yet  in place for the  Care  Council Wales training to be implemented  regionally, later in 2015-6. [Read more…]

On the 19^th March 2014, the law with regards to people who lacked capacity to make decisions as to where they live and about their care planning arrangements changed overnight in England and Wales. A simple ‘acid test’ was introduced by the Supreme Court in that anyone who had been placed in a Residential/Nursing Home, Hospital or Supported Living project and lacked capacity; who was monitored 24 hours a day and not allowed to go out alone would need to be assessed for a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).  [Read more…]

All families living in the rural area face deprivation of access to services.  On top of this many also experience poverty. [Read more…]

The Community Wellbeing Service was newly created in June 2014. One of its three sections, all of which are focussed on supporting people to achieve without creating dependence on services, is the Independent and Third Sector Relationships Section. The Social Services and Well-being Act requires that we understand our communities and their needs better, and that we work with them to develop services which meet those needs. We know that, with the financial challenges we face, we will not be able to meet those needs without close working with the independent/private sector or organisations in the third and community sector.

What’s changed?

In 2014/15 we identified the need for the team, and drew together existing staff roles which would form part of the team. We recognised that the team would need a manager and that a dedicated post to focus on commissioning services that weren’t for children and young people was also needed. These posts were advertised and recruited to. The staff who were already in post have proactively sought to work together, identifying opportunities for improved approaches and co-ordinated work.

What difference has it made?

Internally, we have changed the culture of our approach – we wish to work in partnership with our citizens and providers. Externally we want to ensure that the focus on prevention leads to fewer people needing more intensive support, as we will assist people to find the appropriate support when it is needed, as they work to maintain and retain their independence.  The establishment of the team has set the clear direction of the Conwy Social Care approach; working with our community, providers and potential providers to develop the services needed within the county. The team has started to review existing contracts, identifying opportunities for improved arrangements and alternative approaches to commissioning.

(The difference made by the team will be seen most keenly over the next 12 months, as processes for managing grant allocations become more streamlined, needs-based market position statements will be developed to show the direction in which the authority is seeking development for services. A clear, focussed commissioning strategy will be developed, our approach to prevent escalation of need and ensure that people are supported to be independent will be evident within it.)

Within the previous structure, teams were set up to provide services for individuals with particular diagnosed conditions such as mental illness, disability, learning disability or characteristics such as age. This system failed some people who did not fall into the traditional structure. Previously, such individuals would be passed between teams with case holders having little expertise to meet their unique vulnerability and presentation. Even more concerning was the possibility that they would fall through the net entirely and regularly present challenging issues for all community services such as housing, fire service and police. [Read more…]

On 2^nd December 2013, The Wales Government published statutory guidance for Health Boards and Local Authorities called “Integrated Assessment, Planning and Review Arrangements for Older People”. Link   [Read more…]

“The Single Point of Access service provides Information, Advice and Support to individuals regarding health & wellbeing to assist with individual wellbeing needs”.

Contact the Single Point of Access team

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