Council seeks views on new Assisted Transport Policy

Neath Port Talbot Council is looking for people’s views on its proposed new Adult Services Assisted Transport policy.

It will apply to all adults who access services provided directly, or commissioned by, the Council’s Adult Services.

The existing policy was approved in 2014 but demand for Council services has increased as have economic pressures requiring significant budgetary savings.

The provision of good quality and responsive adult social care support remains a priority of the Council but the kind of services provided and how they are delivered have been reviewed, with one result being the revised Assisted Transport Policy.

The proposed policy now places greater emphasis on an individual, where practicable, making their own transport arrangements to and from a service which has been identified under an assessment of need.

And it clarifies that transport to or from a destination outside of an eligible assessed need is the responsibility of the individual. This contributes to promoting people’s independence while at the same time ensuring vital services are sustainable, especially for the most vulnerable.

The policy aim is to promote independence and encourage the use of sustainable local methods of transport where viable. This will mean that people will need to be assessed via a Care Review to indicate if they are eligible for assisted transport.

This could mean that, for example, if someone has access to a Motability car or other type of transport to and from community services, they would be expected to use that method. The Council will not automatically provide Assisted Transport.

Cllr Peter Richards, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health said:

“I would encourage anyone who may be affected by these proposals to have their say during the consultation period.

“It is important we understand people’s views so that we are fully informed before making any final decisions.”

The Council’s Health and Wellbeing Cabinet Board agreed a 90-day consultation period on the revised policy to start in April with feedback being invited from face to face meetings with service users and their carers, meetings with partner agencies, learning disability groups and forums as well as advocacy (if required, an independent advocacy service will be made available to Day Service Users).

Those wanting to respond in writing should address letters to Assisted Transport Policy Consultation, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Common Commissioning Unit, Civic Centre, Neath SA11 3QZ, or email ccu@npt.gov.uk.

There will be an information display giving details of the proposal at Neath Civic Centre, Port Talbot Civic Centre, The Quays, Trem Y Mor& pan-disability day services, together with suggestion box where questions, letters and completed feedback forms can be deposited. The boxes will be emptied regularly and answers to any questions will be displayed on the notice boards.

Also, Neath Port Talbot Council’s consultation portal will allow you to comment and provide feedback online (www.npt.gov.uk/haveyoursay).

Y cyngor yn gofyn am farn ar Bolisi Trafnidiaeth â Chymorth

 Mae Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot am gael barn pobl ar ei bolisi Trafnidiaeth â Chymorth newydd arfaethedig ar gyfer Gwasanaethau i Oedolion.

Bydd hwn yn berthnasol i’r holl oedolion sy’n defnyddio gwasanaethau a ddarperir yn uniongyrchol, gan Wasanaethau i Oedolion y cyngor neu a gomisiynir ganddynt.

Cymeradwywyd y polisi presennol yn 2014 ond mae’r galw am wasanaethau’r cyngor wedi cynyddu, yn ogystal â’r pwysau economaidd sy’n gofyn am arbedion cyllidebol sylweddol.

Mae darparu cefnogaeth gofal cymdeithasol ymatebol o safon dda i oedolion yn flaenoriaeth i’r cyngor o hyd ond adolygwyd y math o wasanaethau a ddarperir a sut y’u darperir, ac un canlyniad o hynny yw’r Polisi Trafnidiaeth â Chymorth diwygiedig.

Nawr, mae’r polisi arfaethedig yn rhoi mwy o bwyslais ar unigolion i wneud eu trefniadau trafnidiaeth eu hunain, pan fo’n ymarferol, er mwyn cymryd rhan mewn gwasanaeth sydd wedi cael ei nodi dan asesiad o angen.

Mae hyn yn egluro bod cludiant i gyrchfan ac oddi yno y tu allan i angen cymwys asesedig, ac yn gyfrifoldeb yr unigolyn. Mae hyn yn cyfrannu at hyrwyddo annibyniaeth pobl, wrth sicrhau bod gwasanaethau hanfodol yn gynaliadwy ar yr un pryd, yn enwedig ar gyfer y bobl fwyaf diamddiffyn.

Bwriad y polisi yw hyrwyddo annibyniaeth ac annog defnydd o ddulliau cludiant lleol cynaliadwy, lle bo’n ymarferol. Bydd hyn yn golygu bod angen i bobl gael eu hasesu trwy Adolygiad o Ofal er mwyn dynodi a ydynt yn gymwys am drafnidiaeth â chymorth.

Gall hyn olygu, er enghraifft, os oes gan rywun fynediad at gar symudedd neu unrhyw ddull arall o gludiant i gymryd rhan mewn gwasanaethau cymunedol, bydd disgwyl iddo ddefnyddio’r dull hwnnw. Ni fydd y cyngor yn darparu Trafnidiaeth â Chymorth yn awtomatig.

Ar 7 Mawrth, penderfynodd Bwrdd Cabinet y cyngor dros Iechyd a Lles ar gyfnod ymgynghori o 90 niwrnod ar y polisi diwygiedig a gofynnir am adborth trwy gyfarfodydd wyneb yn wyneb â defnyddwyr gwasanaethau a’u gofalwyr, cyfarfodydd ag asiantaethau partner, grwpiau a fforymau anableddau dysgu yn ogystal ag eiriolaeth (os oes angen, bydd gwasanaeth eiriolaeth annibynnol ar gael i ddefnyddwyr gwasanaethau dydd).

Dylai’r rheiny sydd eisiau ymateb yn ysgrifenedig anfon llythyrau at y cyfeiriad hwn: Ymgynghoriad Polisi Trafnidiaeth â Chymorth, Uned Gomisiynu Gyffredinol Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Castell-nedd Port Talbot, Y Ganolfan Ddinesig, Castell-nedd SA11 3QZ, neu e-bostio ccu@npt.gov.uk.

Bydd arddangosfa wybodaeth yn rhoi manylion y cynnig yn y gwasanaethau dydd, ynghyd â blwch awgrymiadau lle gellir cyflwyno cwestiynau, llythyrau a ffurflenni adborth wedi’u llenwi. Bydd y blychau’n cael eu gwagio’n rheolaidd a bydd unrhyw atebion yn cael eu harddangos ar yr hysbysfwrdd.

Hefyd, bydd porth ymgynghori Cyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot yn eich galluogi chi i adael sylwadau a darparu adborth (https://www.npt.gov.uk/5907).