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Jon Hanlon looks at a new survey into adult social services provided by local authorities, and finds some surprising results. A new survey into adult social services provided by local authorities across England and Wales provides a fascinating insight into progress towards personalised care and joint working with health. The survey, carried out independently for the OLM Group, a company which specialises in social services, examined the views of local authority executives with responsibility for adult social services. It asked 12 key questions, validated by research specialists at the University of Plymouth and endorsed by ADASS, and reveals some intriguing results. Eighty-five per cent of respondents identified under-funding as a key risk to the success of the ambitious personalisation agenda, while 80% feared inadequate staff capacity could derail plans. Other concerns centred on the response by local authorities themselves, the danger of policy changes in central government, problems within the health service, and an inability to cope with increasing longevity. Nevertheless, the survey also reveals that 70% of directors say the key steps towards achieving personalisation will be in place by next month. It also shows there is a clear determination to transform the way care is provided among staff at all levels of local government, with personalised services seen as the key to both empowering users and improving services. The report says: ‘Almost all adult service directors and their senior teams are fully behind implementing personalisation and joint working with health. Their comments reflect widespread hope that it will truly transform people's lives.' The Department of Health has provided funding to transform the way adult social services are run, as part of the social care reform grant, provided over three years to the 150 authorities with social care responsibilities. Lancashire CC's executive director of adult and community services, Richard Jones, says this has allowed authorities to work innovatively and discover new ways of providing adult social care. He adds: ‘We are one of a number of authorities which are up and running, embracing the personalisation agenda and moving forward. ‘The current economic climate means local authorities need to have their act together. Directors of adult social services and cabinet members must ensure the personalisation of services is high on the agenda. The whole process is around providing choice, giving people control so they receive services that allow them to live the kind of lives they want to lead.' One of the survey questions which prompted some interesting responses was: ‘What is your greatest hope for adult services in the next five years?' One respondent says: ‘That the aspirations to create real opportunities for greater quality of life for vulnerable people, greater satisfaction for users, carers and staff will be realised, and that we can rise to this challenge in the sector.' Mr Jones echoes these sentiments, when he says: ‘It is about raising people's aspirations for their own lives, and how they can shape responses to their needs which make sense to them – people who have got used to getting what they are given. ‘It is about securing better access to a wide range of community services, including leisure, housing, employment and lifelong learning, and not just social care. ‘This agenda involves putting people's wellbeing at the centre of what local government understands its job to be. ‘Social care is not just for the disabled, but for the whole population. It is more than a good idea, it's where we have to go. It's about citizens having control over what happens to them, and calling us to account as community leaders.' Despite the clear enthusiasm and determination of those in adult social care, there are still concerns around shared services, with 55% of respondents saying shared systems would not be ready by April, and fears about the ability of providers to rise to the challenge. In fact, 72% of those asked said they had serious concerns that providers would not respond adequately to the requirements of the personalisation agenda. Nevertheless, great progress has been made in terms of improved communications, a cultural shift to more ‘person-centred' services and in finance. Around one-quarter of directors say all the key steps towards joint-working with health are already in place, and at least half say they will be in place by April. Greatest progress in this important area of work so far has been in joint commissioning, joint assessment and pooled budgets – three key areas for coherent, co-ordinated services which are able to provide genuine personalised services to those who need them most.

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A question of care

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