Proposed changes to visual and dual sensory support

Closed 29 Jun 2018

Opened 9 Apr 2018

Contact

0116 454 2300

ascconsultations@leicester.gov.uk

Feedback updated 16 Jan 2019

We asked

We consulted on a proposal to re-commission support for people with visual or dual sensory impairment. The proposal included streamlining some aspects of the service, as follows:

  • Information, advice and guidance service, prioritising the work of the hospital support workers
  • Rehabilitation and reablement and service for visually impaired people with delivery through more group work and less one to one work
  • Equipment – reduced to focus on equipment for rehabilitation and reablement work
  • Specialist reablement and communication for deafblind people. The main change would be to ongoing communication support for these clients. It was proposed that statutory support (for those assessed as eligible) would be funded through self-funding or a Direct Payment, depending on the outcome of the service user’s financial assessment. This approach is aligned to the process for other types of service user.
  • Continued funding for the maintenance of the Sight Register, but at a reduced level of funding to reflect the city’s proportion of the register as compared to that of the Leicestershire and Rutland proportion.

You said

We did

The council will re-procure the service along the lines set out in the proposal. However, as a result of feedback on the consultation, specialist reablement for deafblind people will be retained, and some funding for equipment will also be retained.

Results updated 16 Jan 2019

Files:

Overview

Adult Social Care (ASC) commissions (buys) services for adults with sight loss or dual sensory impairment (deafblind). The current contract for this support is due to end in March 2019. ASC is reviewing the service before re-procurement, and would like to hear views on the proposed approach for the future.

Why your views matter

The council wants to do as much as it can to prevent people in Leicester from developing social care needs. This means trying to help people stay independent and in good health, both physically and mentally.

The council’s Adult Social Care department funds several prevention services that are provided by the voluntary sector. Many of these services are aimed at people who are not necessarily eligible for statutory social care services, but who could avoid or delay developing needs if provided with the right kind of support. 

However, Adult Social Care now has to make some very difficult decisions about future funding. This is because of the rising cost of providing adult social care, caused by rising needs and the wider financial pressures on the council as a result of large reductions in funding from central government.

We cannot carry on spending at the same levels on these services because we have to find the resources to pay for rising needs and costs of people who have significant needs. We have to fulfil our legal obligations to ensure that those people get the statutory support they need.

As a result, Adult Social Care is undertaking a review of a number of services they purchase from the voluntary sector. This review is intended to focus our spend on those with the highest risk of developing social care needs and achieve the savings that are needed.

One of the services included in the review is visual and dual sensory impairment support services.

What happens next

We will provide feedback on the findings here. It is intended that final decisions will be made in August 2018.

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