Welcome to the first Supporting Lives, Connecting People (SLCP) newsletter.
This newsletter will keep you up-to-date with developments about this new way of working for Adults’ Services, and help you get involved in all that’s happening. We will issue these regularly and all copies will be available on our website West Sussex Connect to Support in the ‘Professional Zone’ section.
Firstly, we would just like to say a huge thank you to all of you who have been involved in any of our planning so far.
West Sussex County Council Adults’ Services is changing its approach to delivering adult social care and has a renewed focus on ‘community-led support’.
What is community-led support?
The following helps explain what we mean by community-led support.
- Provides the foundation for a more modern, effective way of delivering adult social (and health) care support that strengthens individual and community resilience and wellbeing.
- Moves away from professional-led processes and decisions and focuses on good effective conversations with people.
- Supports people to be as independent as possible.
- People’s strengths and support networks are built on.
- People get good advice and information that helps avoid crises.
- Challenges the way large organisations work and aims to empower staff, reduce bureaucracy, and increase people’s choice and control over their support.
- A concept based on collaboration between a range of partners that work together in the interests of the community, providing more effective help to those who need it.
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As part of introducing SLCP we have started Talk Local sessions, where the public can speak face-to-face with a member of the Adults’ Services team in a community venue. The aim is for people to have earlier conversations about their social care needs and ensure they have access to good information and advice about their situation.
January to May 2019 has been full steam ahead. County Council and partner organisation staff, together with members of the not-for-profit organisation National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi), have been working closely together to meet the planned April ‘go live’ for the implementation of SLCP and the introduction of Talk Local sessions in Chichester, Rural north Chichester and Bognor areas.
This will be followed by the Crawley, Horsham and Mid Sussex areas in the summer and then the Adur, Littlehampton and Worthing areas in the autumn.
Spotlight on Chichester and Bognor areas
We are currently holding our Talk Local sessions in the Chichester and Bognor areas in the following venues.
- Bognor Library
- Chestnuts Day Centre, Bognor
- Chichester Library
- The Brooks Day Centre, Pulborough
The public can access these sessions by calling or emailing our dedicated Adults’ Services contact centre who are booking people into the slots available where appropriate. The contact centre can be reached via telephone on 01243 642121 or email at socialcare@westsussex.gov.uk.
Spotlight on Mid-Sussex, Crawley and Horsham areas
Initial design work has begun with social workers, occupational therapists, support brokerage staff, Adults’ Services Customer Services Centre staff, the Prevention Assessment Team and the Partnerships and Communities Team.
We want stakeholders to help us shape the work so look out for news of engagement sessions which will be scheduled shortly for those based in the Mid-Sussex, Crawley and Horsham areas.
Spotlight on Littlehampton, Adur and Worthing areas
Stakeholder design workshops will be scheduled, with plans to ‘go live’ with SLCP from autumn 2019. More details and opportunities to get involved will be available soon.
Talk Locals
At the moment Talk Locals are pre-booked sessions only but it is intended that drop-in appointments will be available in the future.
We are also continuing to look for Talk Local venues in all areas.
Please let us know of any suggestions you have for accessible, low-cost venues, as well as what other linked services/support could be offered at them, and how you might want to get involved.
We would love to hear your ideas so please email us at: supportinglives.connectingpeople@westsussex.gov.uk
Launching the Adult Social Care Vision and Strategy 2019-21
Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults and Health and Paul McKay, Director of Adults’ Services are hosting two launch events for stakeholders to mark the first Adult Social Care Vision and Strategy for West Sussex. SLCP is one of the key elements which supports the realisation of the Adult social care vision. Please click on either of the following links to book your place.
2pm (refreshments and informal networking from 1.30pm), Thursday 6 June, K2, Pease Pottage Hill, Crawley, RH11 9BQ
10.30am (refreshments and informal networking from 10am), Wednesday 19 June, Assembly Room, North Street, Chichester, PO19 1LQ
These interactive events will provide delegates with the opportunity to learn more about:
- The Vision and Strategy 2019-2021.
- Key areas of our Improvement Programme and how our services will continue to evolve.
- How we will work together with people who use our services, family and friend carers, our partners and stakeholders.
Co-production is at the heart of realising our Vision and the events will provide an outline of our proposed approach which builds on the views of stakeholders at an event we held in early March.
Attendees will have the opportunity to share their views on the Vision and Strategy and tell us how they would like to be involved and influence implementation. We will be inviting delegates at the events to register their interest in working with us over the coming months and the longer-term.
Introducing the SLCP team
If you have any queries about the items discussed in this newsletter, or the SLCP programme itself, please don't hesitate to contact us:
Avril Mayhew - Improvement Lead
- Leading the SLCP Programme.
avril.mayhew@westsussex.gov.uk
Nicki Bradley - Improvement Manager
- Working on the local implementation of Talk Locals in all areas.
Nicola.Bradley@westsussex.gov.uk
Chris Jones - Service Development Manager
- Working on SLCP evaluation and communications.
Chris.Jones@westsussex.gov.uk
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