Adult Social Care Programme

Background

Adult social care faces considerable challenges in the 21st century. Primarily these are demographic and financial. By 2022, 20% of the population will be over 65% and by 2027 there will be a 60% increase in the number of people over 85. More people are being supported to live independently at home but at the same time resources are increasingly targeted at those with the greatest need.

The transformation of adult social care requires a shift in "focus of care and support across the spectrum of need, away from intervention at the point of crisis to a more pro-active and preventative model centred on improved well-being with greater choice and control for individuals" (Department of Health). This is the broad agenda for personalisation, wider than personal budgets and self directed support.

The North East has one of the poorest records on Health Inequalities compared with any region. Through the transformation of social care and the support for well-being initiatives with Health, there is the possibility to significantly enhance the Health of the Region.

The Programme is a joint programme funded and supported by the RIEP and the Department of Health and it incorporates the North East Joint Improvement Partnership (JIP).

The partnership was formed in 2008. Its strategy to 2011 sets out improvement and efficiency aims across 5 key work streams which were agreed as priority areas for social care in the region by the region's local authority Directors of Adult Social Services

The partnership's aim is to enable councils to achieve the transformation of social care services by working in collaboration with each other across the North East.

Its outcomes for adult social care are:

• Improved health and emotional well-being
• Improved quality of life
• Making a positive contribution
• Increased choice and control
• Freedom from discrimination and harassment
• Economic well-being
• Maintaining personal dignity and respect
• The programme will support the local delivery of many adult social care and community well-being linked national indicators.

The Adult Social Care Programme consists of three workstreams (find out more here):

• Personalisation & early prevention
• Commissioning
• Workforce Development

The programme also manages a number of centrally funded projects.

Governance

The programme is responsible for the overall Adult Social Care programme, with a number of Project sub groups overseeing workstreams and the individual projects within them.

The programme is a key area of responsibility for the Deputy Regional Director for Social Care based at Government Office North East. They are accountable to the Department of Health for results and the money allocated to programme from the Department.

The Chair of the programme is Paul Hanson, Strategic Director, North Tyneside Council.
Download a governance structure here.

Getting Involved

Many of the RIEP projects rely on the involvement of local people. There are a number of ways people can get involved and help us to make sure that social care services in the North East are the best they can be. Find out more here.

Programme Contacts

Programme Manager: Julie Brown
Telephone 07917 813 667
Email: Julie.Brown@northeastcouncils.gov.uk

Local Authority Sponsor/Programme Board Chair:
Paul Hanson, Strategic Director of Community Services, North Tyneside Council

Dawn Docherty, JIP Manager Dawn.Docherty@northeastcouncils.gov.uk
07768 636035

Jim Greer, JIP Project Manager Jim.Greer@northeastcouncils.gov.uk 07901 008 521

Zoe Campbell, User Involvement and Stakeholder Communications Project Manager Zoe.Campbell@northeastcouncils.gov.uk 07901 102 723

Ian Hall, Policy and Project Manager (NE ADASS/RIEP) Ian.Hall@northeastcouncils.gov.uk
07901 008522