Agenda item

The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Health and Community regarding issues surrounding the Independent Living Services.

It was noted that Halton had high levels of disability and a population profile that was aging relatively more than the UK as a whole. One of the key areas of work that was essential to support people remained living either in their own homes or a more suitable house was the ability to make improvements or adaptations to the properties. The report described the improvement in the amount of work being delivered by the Halton Home Improvement and Independent Living Service and the current expenditure.

The tenure of people also affected the sorts of services they could access. Registered Social Landlords had a considerable waiting list for adaptation work and the type of tenure should not determine whether people got the adaptations they needed. The Council had provided additional funding to improve this. There were many factors that indicated the level and type of work required. Some of the changes made in the service over the last year as well as economic factors meant the Council needed to respond differently. These factors and solutions were outlined within the report covering issues surrounding service transformation; contingency plans; anticipated total expenditure in 2008/09; and further developments in services.

It was noted that the Disabled Facilities grants was a mandatory grant for adaptations to the homes of disabled people. For a number of reasons, as outlined in the report, it appeared that demand for major adaptations in the private housing sector may be levelling out at the present time. However, it was likely that this would create sufficient demand to fully spend the Disabled Facilities grants allocation funded by the Government together with some Council match funding. It was unlikely however that all of the growth funding provided this year would be used for Disabled Facilities grants but some contingencies linked to the major adaptations process had been identified. This factor had previously been reported to the Executive on 10^th April 2008 and it was acknowledged that this funding would probably need to be phased over a two-year period.

Investment in the provision of adaptations enable people to continue to live at home, reduce the level of personal care support required and avoided emission to residential care. National research had also demonstrated the value of the provision of adaptations in reducing risk of falls and consequent hospital admissions and in supporting prompt hospital discharge. It was noted that Halton remained one of only two Councils in England not to have reported any delayed discharges since the guidelines had been introduced.

It was noted that the recommendations within the report were part of comprehensive plans to modernise the adaptations service. They represented innovative and efficient ways of using resources and would ultimately improve provision for service users in Halton. Failure to implement at least some of these contingencies could result in budget underspend and lead to delays in service provision.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the contingency plans outlined in the report be approved; and

(2)       the planned carry forward into the 2009/10 budget, as described in 3.8.1 within the report, be approved.