Continued improvement for Bristol adult health and social care services

Release Date: 02-Dec-2009

Bristol City Council’s adult Health and Social Care services are showing continued improvement, according to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with the authority assessed as performing ‘well’ in a total of six out of seven outcomes.

These include:

Improved health and well-being
Improved quality of life
Making a positive contribution
Maintaining personal dignity and respect
Economic well-being
Freedom from discrimination and harassment

The seventh is performance for increased choice and control which is described as ‘adequate’. However, CQC notes that an increasing number of people are able to access direct payments and that person-centred planning is being incorporated into the development of self directed support.

Tomorrow (THURS) sees the official launch of the council’s self-directed support services at an event at the Council House, which will give people more choice about what help and support they receive and who they receive it from.

The main change is that under SDS, people will receive a personalised budget. SDS pilots will get under way in February 2010. All newly-assessed service-users will receive a personalized budget by autumn 2010 and all service-users will have them by October 2011.

Councillor Bev Knott, Cabinet Member for Care and Neighbourhoods, said: “The city council, with its partner agencies, is continuing to deliver improved health and social care services to the some of the most vulnerable members of our community, helping more people to continue to live independently.

“In particular, inspectors highlighted a growth in very sheltered housing; direct payments and support services including intermediate and domiciliary care.”

CQC also found:

This has resulted in fewer people being admitted to residential care
New services have been developed which have continued to increase the number of people supported at home
The number of older people supported to live at home has continued to grow and was above the council’s target
Numbers have also increased for disabled people and the target has been exceeded
People with mental health needs and learning disabilities are supported to live at home but although the numbers are increasing, the figure continues to be below the council’s target

Councillor Knott added: “We recognise that we need to continue to improve services, particularly in certain areas, and must do this at a time of significant budgetary pressures. But the findings of CQC confirm we are making real progress and delivering the quality of services people have a right to expect.”

CQC also found that at the time of the inspection in 2008, two care homes where Bristol City Council placed residents were zero-rated.

However, updated data from CQC as of November 4, 2009 shows we have a maximum of four people currently placed in a home that is rated poor. This relates to 0.6% of our placements and one home. When these placements were made between 1st April and 15th May 2009 the home was rated as adequate. Since the change of rating no new placements have been made.

The overwhelming number of placements are in homes rated are rated 'good' (68.98%); just over seven per cent are in homes that are 'excellent' (7.42%); 22.75% are in homes that are adequate and 0.24 per cent are in homes not yet rated by CQC.

Author: Peter Wood, Media and PR Officer, 0117 922 2651

For all media enquiries relating to this press release, please contact Corporate Communications on 0117 922 2650.

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