Preventative Social Care Services For Adults

Newport City Council has completed a review of the contracts it holds with a range of social care organisations that offer advocacy, respite, community support and information services to adults. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Such services help people to remain independent in their own home, provide respite care for carers and enable people to access information and advice relating to social care ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The review was carried out to ensure that the council fully meets the requirements of the new Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act, and to comply with the financial and procurement regulations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following a tendering exercise, a contract has been awarded to a new consortium of voluntary and not for profit organisations to provide the full range of services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Before the tender was advertised, a number of consultation events were held with interested organisations and representative groups to ensure they were informed and supported through the process. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new contract will be in place from September 2016 and people in Newport will enjoy improved access to advocacy and preventative social care services as the consortium model will offer a single point of contact. The services provided will also be more flexible and responsive to individual and community needs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Changes to the way services were delivered were necessary to ensure adults receive the help they need, in the most effective way, whilst providing best value for the council and residents. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The consortium model means more money will be targeted at front-line provision by reducing administrative and management costs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Paul Cockeram, Newport City Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult and Social Services said: “We are completely focussed on ensuring everyone who qualifies for one of these services is able to receive it, and as quickly as possible. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I want to stress that this is not about changes simply for the sake of saving money. This was a long overdue review with the aim of accurately targeting scarce resources to those who need them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We recognise this contract decision might be challenging for some organisations who were previously retained to provide services, but our priority has to be the people receiving services. We want enhance and improve the lives of as many people as possible, not just a few, and this new model will help us to achieve that.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​