Public Invited To Give Their Say On “Important” Social Services Plan During Consultation

Wrexham Council is inviting Social Service clients, carers and families to put forward their views on an annual summary of care for children and adults alike, with the start of an official consultation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council’s successes and planned changes are outlined in ‘Social services: what we do and the difference it makes’, a draft copy of the Annual Report for 2016-17 by the Executive Director of Social Services for Wrexham. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The draft report is now out for consultation, with the views of users sought so WCBC can better plan out its social service operations for the following year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Care and the delivery of care services are changing across Wales and the rest of the UK, with local authorities – including Wrexham Council – dealing with limited funds and increasing demand for care as demographics change. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The introduction to the report by Clare Field, Executive Director for People/Statutory Director of Social Services, notes: “The challenges we face are greater than ever. We have fewer resources, but demand continues to grow. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“So it’s important we think differently about how we provide services, and we’ll continue to work closely with partners, families and individuals to promote the wellbeing of people in Wrexham.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report will also take into account the Social Service and Wellbeing (Wales)Act 2014 and the Future Generations Act, both of which require public bodies to keep key priorities in mind when working towards structural and operational change and outline how any such changes will be of benefit to the public, as well as continued monitoring of standards and impact. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Director’s Report outlines Wrexham Council’s position on care; the actions that have been taken to improve the delivery of services in the past year; the requirements of those in care and their carers; and what the authority can do in the coming year to continue to answer the changing and complex demands of service users. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Some of the successes and goals accomplished by Wrexham Council’s Social Services in the last year include: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Opening a new Elderly Mentally Impaired (EMI) residential care home in partnership with the Clwyd Alyn Housing Association;
• Working with NHS and Welsh Government to help more people to remain independent and stay in their homes – saving an estimated 8,111 hospital bed days;
• Introducing a new child-centered approached to assessments, while ensuring children continue to be seen;
• Launching the Waking Hours Team to support children and their families during traditional out-of-hours service times;
• A survey of people receiving Intermediate Care saw 100 per cent of respondents say that they felt the support they receive helps them live the life they want, as far as possible;
• Launching the Lifespan Disability Service to provide a seamless service for adults and children with disabilities.

Once the draft report goes through the consultation process and users have the chance to make their views known, the final version will be published by the end of July. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Users will have until Monday, April 24 to put forward their representations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Joan Lowe, Lead Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Wrexham Council is a very active partnership player, both in the region and nationwide, and we want to do even more to set the standard in the social care sector and lead on those services which make a real difference to people’s lives. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Surveys of clients show that the vast majority of clients believe our services improve their quality of life and help them to remain independent. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“But we want to continue to work with users to create a more sustainable and client-focussed service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is a vitally important plan and I encourage all clients, carers and families to make their views known.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Michael Williams, Lead Member for Education and Children’s Services, said: “Social Care is of incredible importance to many children, young people and families in the county borough, and its significance as a front-line service cannot be overstated. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The draft report also clearly outlines our continued goal to place children at the heart of all assessments, and we want to do more to understand their circumstances and what they want. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The more people take part in this consultation, the more we can continue to deliver a service which consistently meets the needs of those in care and those who care for them.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Paper copies will be available upon request. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Responses can be sent by: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

E-mail to socialservicescustomerfeedback@wrexham.gov.uk;
Post to Director of Social Services, Wrexham County Borough Council, Guildhall, Wrexham, LL11 1AY
Telephone on 01978 297421 ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​