New Community Based Model for Day Services

Councillors in Neath Port Talbot have approved changes to the way in which Day Services are to be delivered in the county borough. This will see a move away from the existing premises-based provision to a new community based, integrated model.

From December 2015 to March 2016 officers undertook an extensive consultation on one option. That was to move to a community based model. However, in a report that faithfully reflected the feedback from the consultation, Councillors at the Social Care, Health and Housing Cabinet Board were presented with three options when they met on 12th May. These were to maintain the status quo, transfer the provision to community ownership and management or establish a community based model.

The services in question support older people, adults with learning, physical and sensory disabilities and people with mental ill-health. They include the older persons’ day centres at Trem-Y-Glyn, Gelligron, Ty-Twyn-Teg, Rhodes House and Croeserw, and the Pontardawe, Bronleigh and Rhodes Care and Support services.

People who currently use these services and those who are assessed as needing support going forward will continue to be offered a range of well-structured, stimulating activities that are designed around their interests and needs.

The main difference is that these will be provided to small groups of people in their own communities, for example in community centres, church halls or leisure centres. There, the groups will be able to access existing activities provided by community organisations and additional activities which will be developed and delivered by a new Community Connecting Team.

The Community Connecting Team will have a central office base, but carry out the majority of their work in the community. The service will be delivered from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, but will also have the flexibility to operate during evenings if there is a clear need to do so.

Direct payments, which the council has a duty to offer under the new Social Care and Wellbeing (Wales) Act, will also help to meet the needs of people in a much more personalised way.

Nick Jarman, the Council’s Director of Social Care Health and Housing said:

“Prior to this decision, the Council undertook thorough and extensive consultation on one proposal to move to a community based, integrated model. However, in a report that faithfully reflected the feedback from the consultation, members were presented with three possible options going forward. These were to maintain the status quo, to transfer the provision to community ownership and management or to develop a community based, integrated model.

“The community based, integrated model reflects the best fit between meeting the needs and wishes of the widest number of service users and carers possible, delivering the most economical solution for the Council in the context of our Forward Financial Plan and providing a responsive and resilient service.

“The main advantages of this model are that services will be more convenient for service users as they will be provided in their own communities. It provides more flexibility, so support can be more tailored to individuals’ requirements and wishes and it is a more affordable and sustainable way for the Council to provide these services.”

The next step will be to ensure that everyone who currently accesses the affected services has an individual review of their support needs.  This will determine what the most appropriate support will be for the recipients and those close to them.  It will also identify future service requirements, which include a combination of options such as accessing the new Community Connecting Team, choosing to receive a Direct Payment or specialist commissioned services such as Dementia Support.