As you may be aware, the NEL Council and NELCCG (the “Union”) are jointly commissioning an external challenge and transformation partner to assist in identifying new approaches to supporting the adult population in North East Lincolnshire.

A tender exercise took place in March 2018 however the bids we received did not meet the essential criteria or reflect a clear understanding of local conditions and our desired outcomes. As a result of this we were unable to identify a suitable provider.

Since the unsuccessful tender, we have approached several providers/individuals who we believe may have the skills/knowledge needed to support the review. The project steering group are meeting with these providers/individuals over the next few weeks to discuss with each of them how they believe they can help us deliver the brief.   

An update will be provided at the end of May as to the outcomes of these discussions.

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Why are we doing the review?

The review aims to ensure that wherever possible people can enjoy living independently within the community and that the resources available to public services are used to best effect.  The external partners will assist the identification of transformational opportunities as well providing on-going support for the changes that may then follow.

The Council and CCG are aware that demand for social care and health services is continuing to rise as population life expectancy increases, resulting in a greater proportion of older and frail elderly people within the borough, with more complex needs. This situation exists nationally, but is more marked in North East Lincolnshire than in other comparable councils. In addition, larger numbers of younger people are entering the system each year with lifelong conditions, due to innovations in health care which mean that younger people with more complex conditions are living longer.

We have developed a long term strategy for managing the adult social care system which includes:

1. Managing demand – through prevention, advice, information and signposting to alternative forms of support. Focusing on what the individual can do for themselves, using an “asset” rather than a “deficit” based approach to social work practice means that support is personalised, with needs being met in more creative and sustainable ways.
2. Efficiency and effectiveness – through improved systems, pooling of budgets and integrated service delivery
3. Raising income – maximising the opportunities for charging and cost recovery wherever it makes sense to do so.
4. Market reshaping – changing from traditional models of care, such as institutionalised residential care to supported living within the community. Such schemes include extra care housing delivery for older people, and supported living within individual units for younger disabled people.

However, less attention has been paid to developing earlier intervention and prevention approaches which will better able to reduce future service demand. Key partners will include health and care providers, voluntary and community sector organisations, primary care, police, probation, fire service, housing providers and mental health services.

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Financial baseline and savings opportunities

Whilst a critical focus of the programme is improving outcomes across the borough and working at an earlier level to reduce the level of demand for specialist services, the programme also has to support the delivery of financial savings over the next 3 years. The demand analysis will need to identify a number of potential ‘opportunity’ areas that can be costed into an overarching savings strategy. Support in this area would therefore focus on:

• Benchmarking against other councils to identify other potential opportunity areas
• The development of a financial model to cost out identified opportunities including phasing of benefits realisation to form an overarching savings strategy for the programme

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Outcomes we are seeking from the review

North East Lincolnshire partners aim to achieve stronger communities and a stronger economy, enabling people to enjoy living independently and working or participating in the community.

North East Lincolnshire is seeking to achieve 5 key outcomes for its community. These are that all people in North East Lincolnshire:

1. feel safe and are safe
2. enjoy good health and wellbeing
3. enjoy and benefit from a strong economy
4. benefit from sustainable communities
5. fulfil their potential through skills and learning

The adult review needs to be set in the context of seeking to achieve these outcomes for all adults and throughout all life stages.

In addition to the above, the Union and health services in particular aim to promote self-care and independent living through preventative approaches. When adults require additional support and need to access services our aspiration is to ensure that these services are provided as close to home as possible. Longer term support should be able to be provided at home and there should be a choice of accommodation available which is appropriate to need.

As a health and care system we want to ensure that hospital admissions are avoided and that people are returned home as soon as possible and able to resume living independently. We want all adults to maximise their potential and to enjoy contributing to and participating in community life. We want our community to facilitate this and to ensure that together we are tackling loneliness and social isolation.

 

Bev Compton

Director of Adult Services (DASS)

Project Steering Board Chair