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Major overhaul of Herefordshire’s mental and physical disability services
- By Chief Editor
- Published 14 Apr 2008
- Herefordshire
- Unrated
A major shift in the way services to 16-64 year olds with mental and physical health disabilities in Herefordshire is on the cards.
The decision to overhaul the way services are delivered to around 30,000 people suffering from physical disabilities and mental health disorders was made by Herefordshire Council’s cabinet when it met yesterday, Thursday, April 10.
It means that on top of existing budgets, an extra £1.3 million will be ploughed into the services during the next three years as the current services to cover the transition between current services into more cost effective, yet more responsive, services by 2011.
Currently the county has around 4,600 people suffering from moderate physical disabilities with a further 950 suffering from serious physical disability.
An estimated 18,000 18-64 year olds in the county suffer from depression and more common mental disorders, with an additional 4,650 having a personality disorder.
Cabinet members heard that while people with mental health disorders say services as a whole have improved, there were many aspects that “left a lot to be desired”.
The report states that there needs to be improved communications between staff and sufferers, a round-the-clock access to secondary services and information, a refuge at times of crisis and more better services for young people.
Users of services for people with physical disabilities cited similar needs as well as reduced waiting times,
more flexible day opportunities and better services for those with acquitted brain injury.
Cabinet also heard that there were “major gaps” in data used to predict estimates and that these gaps needed to be filled and estimates kept under review.
Members of Cabinet agreed that the overhaul of services was necessary and that both the council and the PCT would move towards delivery of services which would:
Cllr Olwyn Barnett, cabinet member for social care adults and health, thanked her fellow councillors on the health scrutiny committee and the adult social care and strategic housing scrutiny who had considered the report and reinforced the fact that the underlying data was “fragile” and that there was a need to keep under review the adequacy of the new services and their resourcing.
The decision to overhaul the way services are delivered to around 30,000 people suffering from physical disabilities and mental health disorders was made by Herefordshire Council’s cabinet when it met yesterday, Thursday, April 10.
It means that on top of existing budgets, an extra £1.3 million will be ploughed into the services during the next three years as the current services to cover the transition between current services into more cost effective, yet more responsive, services by 2011.
Currently the county has around 4,600 people suffering from moderate physical disabilities with a further 950 suffering from serious physical disability.
An estimated 18,000 18-64 year olds in the county suffer from depression and more common mental disorders, with an additional 4,650 having a personality disorder.
Cabinet members heard that while people with mental health disorders say services as a whole have improved, there were many aspects that “left a lot to be desired”.
The report states that there needs to be improved communications between staff and sufferers, a round-the-clock access to secondary services and information, a refuge at times of crisis and more better services for young people.
Users of services for people with physical disabilities cited similar needs as well as reduced waiting times,
Cabinet also heard that there were “major gaps” in data used to predict estimates and that these gaps needed to be filled and estimates kept under review.
Members of Cabinet agreed that the overhaul of services was necessary and that both the council and the PCT would move towards delivery of services which would:
- Support people better before they needed specialist secondary services
- Allow users a greater influence and control over the services they need
- Provide the majority of services in, or close to, people’s homes and communities
- Do more to help people recover and stay well after they have received secondary services
- Significantly reduce the amount of services provided out of Herefordshire (particularly residential care)
Cllr Olwyn Barnett, cabinet member for social care adults and health, thanked her fellow councillors on the health scrutiny committee and the adult social care and strategic housing scrutiny who had considered the report and reinforced the fact that the underlying data was “fragile” and that there was a need to keep under review the adequacy of the new services and their resourcing.