Older people with complex needs will be given greater choice over their care and support under a new plan for adult social care in Surrey.
Surrey County Council will work with the NHS and private care providers to create more places in specialist facilities catering for people who need intensive support – whether they are eligible for social care services or not.
The plan is in line with the council’s ambition to tackle inequalities in health and ensure no one in Surrey is left behind.
As Surrey’s population grows and ages, more people will need care that is geared towards meeting high and complex needs such as advanced dementia.
The plan, drawn up following input from hundreds of people including residents, unpaid carers, staff and providers, outlines how the council will work with partners to commission more specialist places to meet these increasingly complex needs.
Another strand of the blueprint will see the council investing more in preventative services to help people stay healthy and happy in their local communities for longer, including enabling more residents to benefit from day services and activities.
And the plan spells out how people will be supported to carry on living at home as long as they can, with care and support, including through the use of pioneering technology which keeps people safe and independent at home – if that is right for them.
The council’s commitment to providing 725 homes by 2030 in extra care housing – which offers people their own front door with care and support always on hand – will be central to this aim.
At the same time, the council is reviewing its own eight in-house care homes which offer traditional residential care, with decisions regarding the future of each of these services expected later this month.
Sinead Mooney, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, said: “We’re committed to ensuring no one in Surrey is left behind – helping those who need us most, and improving quality of life for everyone.
“For older people, we’re continuing to transform social care to enable people to lead independent lives, in their own homes and communities, for as long as possible. And for people who do need to be supported in a care home we’ll work with our partners to achieve the right mix of places for Surrey, ensuring that people with complex needs can receive care which is truly tailored to their needs.”
The council’s commissioning strategy for older people 2021-2030, recently approved by Cabinet, aims to champion greater choice, quality and control for older people.
This includes working to meet increasing demand for care home placements offering personalised care for high and complex needs. This would help ensure that people eligible for social care support are offered the same standard of care as those who can afford to pay privately, reducing health inequalities.
The full strategy is available here (page 181): https://mycouncil.surreycc.gov.uk/documents/g7769/Public%20reports%20pack%20Tuesday%2030-Nov-2021%2014.00%20Cabinet.pdf?T=10
