Wednesday, December 22, 2004
SOCIAL CARE IMPROVEMENTS AND CHANGES TO BE DISCUSSED
Cardiff Council’s Executive is set to discuss how vulnerable people are assessed to enable them to have better access to social care services at an Executive Business meeting on January 6 2005.
Councillor John Dixon, Executive Member for Health, Social Care and Well Being, said: “It’s crucial that eligibility for social care is met in a fair, effective and efficient manner that will enable service users, carers and the general public to have the information they need in order to understand how decisions are made and how priorities are set.”
In 2002 the Welsh Assembly Government issued `Creating a Unified and Fair System for Assessing and Managing Care’. This strategy provides guidelines for local authorities to make decisions on who is, and who isn’t, eligible for social care services.
Under critical, substantial, moderate or low risk categories, it states that each individual case for care must be assessed in terms of individual circumstances. It is this eligibility threshold – called Unified Assessment - which the Executive will discuss and forward several recommendations to Council.
Corporate Director Chris Davies, said: “If approved by the Executive and Council, Unified Assessment will provide a multi-disciplinary approach to assessing individuals need. New systems of working will also provide a more reliable and relevant information service that will help Social Care staff carry out these in-depth assessments.”
The recommendations are as follows: To approve the approach as set out in the agenda report to deliver effective arrangements for Unified Assessment; undertake to arrange services to meet `critical’ and `substantial’ needs; continue to work with the voluntary sector and provide £50,000 additional funding over the next five years; offer `transitional protection’ to all existing service users who would not be eligible under the new criteria unless/until there needs can be met and agree to publish the criteria and supporting information.
Cardiff Council’s Executive is set to discuss how vulnerable people are assessed to enable them to have better access to social care services at an Executive Business meeting on January 6 2005.
Councillor John Dixon, Executive Member for Health, Social Care and Well Being, said: “It’s crucial that eligibility for social care is met in a fair, effective and efficient manner that will enable service users, carers and the general public to have the information they need in order to understand how decisions are made and how priorities are set.”
In 2002 the Welsh Assembly Government issued `Creating a Unified and Fair System for Assessing and Managing Care’. This strategy provides guidelines for local authorities to make decisions on who is, and who isn’t, eligible for social care services.
Under critical, substantial, moderate or low risk categories, it states that each individual case for care must be assessed in terms of individual circumstances. It is this eligibility threshold – called Unified Assessment - which the Executive will discuss and forward several recommendations to Council.
Corporate Director Chris Davies, said: “If approved by the Executive and Council, Unified Assessment will provide a multi-disciplinary approach to assessing individuals need. New systems of working will also provide a more reliable and relevant information service that will help Social Care staff carry out these in-depth assessments.”
The recommendations are as follows: To approve the approach as set out in the agenda report to deliver effective arrangements for Unified Assessment; undertake to arrange services to meet `critical’ and `substantial’ needs; continue to work with the voluntary sector and provide £50,000 additional funding over the next five years; offer `transitional protection’ to all existing service users who would not be eligible under the new criteria unless/until there needs can be met and agree to publish the criteria and supporting information.
Monday, December 20, 2004
Refuse Collection Services Christmas / New Year 2004/05
There is NO CHANGE to refuse collection services during Christmas and New Year. Collections will be on Wednesdays as normal.
Please ensure that your refuse bins and bags are available for collection no later than 07.15 am on collection day and no earlier than the evening before collection day.Early and late bags will lead to prosecution (section 87 Environment Protection Act 1990).
There is NO CHANGE to refuse collection services during Christmas and New Year. Collections will be on Wednesdays as normal.
Please ensure that your refuse bins and bags are available for collection no later than 07.15 am on collection day and no earlier than the evening before collection day.Early and late bags will lead to prosecution (section 87 Environment Protection Act 1990).
Monthly Unemployment Statistics
The monthly unemployment statistics for Adamsdown in November 2004, as compiled by the Office of National Statistics, are as follows:
Male - 207 (down 7)
Female - 56 (down 6)
Total - 263 (down 13)
The monthly unemployment statistics for Adamsdown in November 2004, as compiled by the Office of National Statistics, are as follows:
Male - 207 (down 7)
Female - 56 (down 6)
Total - 263 (down 13)
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
“Carers Deserve a Fair Deal” says Council Executive Member
A commitment to ring fence grants to Carers organisations for the lifetime of the current council administration, together with a programme of three year rolling funding for all voluntary organisations were the key pledges made by Cardiff Council Executive Member for Health, Social Care and Wellbeing, Cllr John Dixon in an address to the Crossroads AGM on Tuesday 14th December. Crossroads is an organisation that looks after the needs and interests of Carers. Carers are people who provide invaluable – and unpaid – care to vulnerable relatives, neighbours and friends.
He said: “My colleagues and I are minded to ring fence grant to carers, following its consolidation by the Assembly into the wider local government settlement.”
Adding that: “We recently took the decision to introduce three year grant funding for voluntary sector organisations.”
He continued: “Carers are central to Cardiff Council’s agenda for improving social care over the next decade. And the council is committed to improving support provided to carers and people with care needs. The Council wants to encourage a culture of volunteering and to tap into the talent, commitment and expertise that exists in local communities. This is particularly true in relation to social care where voluntary organisations, like Crossroads, have the potential to play a leading role in the transformation of service delivery. Your work to provide practical support, and in particular respite, for carers highlights the importance of the voluntary sector in helping to tailor care to the needs of individuals.”
He added: “This reflects the importance attached by the Council to the work of carers. We believe you deserve a fair deal. That’s why my colleagues and I are minded to ring fence grant to carers, following its consolidation by the Assembly into the wider local government settlement. We also believe that you provide a classic example of the contribution made by the voluntary sector to ensuring community well-being.”
Cllr Dixon recognised that the pace of change to the council’s services to vulnerable people was rapid. He pointed out that in the last year the timeliness of child protection reviews has improved; the backlog of referrals to child health and disability teams has been eliminated; the numbers of adults helped to live at home has been increased; the numbers of delayed hospital discharge have been reduced; and there are more prompt assessments in response to need. But, he said, there is still much to do.
“That’s why the Council will continue to make a concerted effort to work with partners in the voluntary and public sectors to bring about a transformation of social care that will lead to quality services across the board.”
A commitment to ring fence grants to Carers organisations for the lifetime of the current council administration, together with a programme of three year rolling funding for all voluntary organisations were the key pledges made by Cardiff Council Executive Member for Health, Social Care and Wellbeing, Cllr John Dixon in an address to the Crossroads AGM on Tuesday 14th December. Crossroads is an organisation that looks after the needs and interests of Carers. Carers are people who provide invaluable – and unpaid – care to vulnerable relatives, neighbours and friends.
He said: “My colleagues and I are minded to ring fence grant to carers, following its consolidation by the Assembly into the wider local government settlement.”
Adding that: “We recently took the decision to introduce three year grant funding for voluntary sector organisations.”
He continued: “Carers are central to Cardiff Council’s agenda for improving social care over the next decade. And the council is committed to improving support provided to carers and people with care needs. The Council wants to encourage a culture of volunteering and to tap into the talent, commitment and expertise that exists in local communities. This is particularly true in relation to social care where voluntary organisations, like Crossroads, have the potential to play a leading role in the transformation of service delivery. Your work to provide practical support, and in particular respite, for carers highlights the importance of the voluntary sector in helping to tailor care to the needs of individuals.”
He added: “This reflects the importance attached by the Council to the work of carers. We believe you deserve a fair deal. That’s why my colleagues and I are minded to ring fence grant to carers, following its consolidation by the Assembly into the wider local government settlement. We also believe that you provide a classic example of the contribution made by the voluntary sector to ensuring community well-being.”
Cllr Dixon recognised that the pace of change to the council’s services to vulnerable people was rapid. He pointed out that in the last year the timeliness of child protection reviews has improved; the backlog of referrals to child health and disability teams has been eliminated; the numbers of adults helped to live at home has been increased; the numbers of delayed hospital discharge have been reduced; and there are more prompt assessments in response to need. But, he said, there is still much to do.
“That’s why the Council will continue to make a concerted effort to work with partners in the voluntary and public sectors to bring about a transformation of social care that will lead to quality services across the board.”
