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Social Care - Delivering services and benefits to meet the needs of the Individual

Wednesday, 19 February 2014

The Minister for Social Care has today outlined the changes the Department plans to introduce to ensure care services and benefits are tailored to meet the needs of the individual, at the same time as ensuring the vulnerable are protected, and scarce resources are targeted to those most in need. 

The Minister for Social Care, Hon Chris Robertshaw MHK said: 

'Since I became Minister, we have started to change the way we provide services and benefits, by tailoring those services to meet the needs of the individual. We have also recognised that at times people need to be responsible for themselves and endeavour to make a positive contribution to their society, so we are progressively revising the benefits system and the whole way we operate to help them achieve this. It is only at the level of the individual that we can truly recognise vulnerability when we see it. I am satisfied that clunky old fashioned categorisation of need is no longer fit for purpose.' 

The pressures to ensure that services and funds are targeted correctly have been brought into clearer focus by the Government’s reduced share of income under its VAT agreement with the UK. However other factors, like an ageing population, an issue that has to be addressed across the globe, have meant that we have to provide more services to people in a more sustainable way. 

In future, the Department will be a commissioner of many services rather than a direct provider of the service. We have worked with the Third and Private Sectors to develop their services to replace those previously provided by the Department. In 2014-15 we will be looking to outsource services, the first being our Domiciliary Care Service. Remaining Department services will be provided to those with the most complex needs. 

The current benefits and welfare system is not sustainable.  In 2013-14, we have engaged a group of specialist consultants to review the National Insurance Fund and the benefits system and to prepare a report on options for consideration by Tynwald to permit a more sustainable system in the future. 

All the services and functions of DSC (with the exception of Social Security which will move to Treasury) will move into the new Department of Health and Social Care. However, its policies for 2014-15 and beyond picked up by the new Departments and are detailed below: 

Adult Services 

In 2013-14 Adult Services progressed its transformation programme to change the way:

  • The needs of adults are assessed
  • Apply Access criteria for services
  • Provide services
  • How/who we charge for the services.

To date we have made the following changes:

  • Closed Glenside residential home and successfully moved all residents to new more suitable accommodation
  • Opened Reayrt Skyal, the new residential centre for Elderly Mentally Infirm people, in the North of the Island
  • Invested more into home care services and developed a Reablement service, provided more supported and independent living accommodation, more respite care and day services
  • Put out expressions of interest for outsourcing Domiciliary Care and are due to tender for this before the end of the financial year
  • After consultation introduced a fair and transparent charging system of services provided, so that those who can afford to pay for services do
  • Introduction of a Learning Disabilities Strategy 2014-19
  • Conducted the first ever division wide service user and carer satisfaction survey. 

In 2014-15 onwards we will:

  • Establish a Safeguarding Adults Board
  • Externalise Day service for Elderly Mentally Infirm people and older people with a learning disability
  • Develop Supported Housing for People with Learning Disabilities
  • With other Government Departments and the Third Sector complete a Joint Strategic Needs assessment
  • Establish a commissioning framework and introduce provider forums for service providers.

Housing 

The outcomes of the Housing Review were published in 2013-14 and work has commenced on implementing the recommendations from the review. 

In the past year we have:

  • Re-pointed all public sector properties to reflect the amenity and size of the property
  • Assisted 64 First Time Buyers to purchase their own properties, with 24 more likely by the end of the financial year
  • 86 public sector and 43 new First Time Buyer properties have been completed
  • Funded 95 people with a disability or illness, with equipment or adaptions to their properties.

In 2014-15 onwards we will:

  • In 2014-15 develop a Shared Equity Scheme to replace the current House Purchase Assistance Scheme
  • Develop a system for means testing public sector rents from 1 April 2015
  • Progress the Landlord Registration Bill for expected enactment and implementation later in 2014
  • Continue to invest in affordable housing across the island.

Children and Families 

We will continue to ensure vulnerable children and families receive the support they need.

In the past year we have:

  • Been part of the inspection of Children’s services carried out by the Scottish Care Inspectorate
  • Implemented a strategy to reduce the number of looked after children. In the last year, the number has fallen from 114 (1 April 2013) to 87
  • Reduced the number of children’s homes and reinvested some of the funds into fostering services to increase family placement availability
  • Joined the fostering and adoption services under one contract.

In 2014-15 we will:

  • Undertake a commissioning exercise leading to new contracts in January 2015 for our externalised services, in response to the Inspection Report, to ensure we purchase the right quality services at the right price to meet the needs of children, young people and their families.

Social Security 

Following on from the Social Policy debate in 2012, the Department, in partnership with Treasury, has undertaken a review of the National Insurance Fund and benefits system, which will inform a debate in 2014-15 on what the Isle of Man needs to have a sustainable benefits system in the future. 

In the past year we have:

  • Established a mechanism for means testing Child Benefit, to be implemented from April 2014
  • Engaged healthcare professionals to conduct up to 3,000 personal capability assessment  for entitlement to incapacity related benefits
  • Worked jointly with the Department of Economic Development to reduce the number of unemployed, particularly the long term unemployed and NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training). 

Corporate Services 

In 2013-14 we have:

  • Implemented the Regulation of Care Act 2013, a comprehensive piece of legislation designed to robustly regulate and enhance care services on the Isle of Man
  • Developed a comprehensive Project Management System to ensure all the projects across the Department are properly managed and governed
  • Developed detailed training and plans for all department staff.

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