Still time to have a say on Adult Social Care plans (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)
Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting BA NEWS to 80360 or e-mail us
Still time to have a say on Adult Social Care plans
4:17pm Thursday 21st June 2012 in County Bulletin
Residents are being reminded to take part in a consultation into proposals to limit the amount the county council will contribute towards community care packages – which support people to live at home.
The consultation was launched at the start of May and will run until the end of July giving residents the chance to have their say. A range of meetings have taken place with more still planned where key stakeholders can ask questions and share their views on the plans. In addition they can get involved and take part in an online questionnaire which is available on the county council's website – www.worcestershire.gov.uk/MEP.
If adopted, this proposal would see new service users whose preferred community care package costs exceeded the amount the council proposes to contribute either having to: · Top-up to meet the cost from alternative sources; e.g. personal/family savings · Choose to take funding as a direct payment, allowing them to make their own flexible arrangements · Change the type or volume of care services they receive - which would still ensure their eligible assessed care needs continued to be fulfilled · Access alternative low level community support in addition to council funded support · Receive their care in a residential or nursing home where this is less costly than a community based package of care.
The proposal is for new service users, with existing service users only affected if their care needs changed.
Cllr Philip Gretton, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Adult Social Care, said: "We must be clear that in no way is this proposal going to lead to people not receiving the care they need; all those entitled to council-funded social care services in Worcestershire will have their assessed care needs met. The issue is about ensuring that they are met in the most cost effective way for all Worcestershire residents who have a call on the resources we have. We've shown with recent consultations that we do listen to what people say and so would urge anyone interested in this to get involved and tell us their thoughts during this consultation period."
For further information visit www.worcestershire.gov.uk/MEP.
