A new scrutiny inquiry panel has started which is looking at ways in which Swansea Council and its partners can support elderly people to remain in their own homes, instead of being forced to move to residential care or nursing homes.
Over the next few months the Panel will be looking into many aspects of social care at home, or domiciliary care (previously referred to as ‘home care’) and they will pay particular attention to how the Council currently works with its key partners.
Councillors have chosen to look at Social Care at Home because:
- Social care is one of the major public service areas for the Council.
- Demand for the number of people being cared for in their own homes is increasing.
- Demand for provision of home care services has grown significantly over the last few years, because expectations have changed and many more people now want to remain in their own homes;
- It is increasingly important that the community care services are needs-led. A structured care service tailored to people’s needs and wishes is central to the successful implementation of national and local Community Care policies for an increasing ageing population;
- To continue to provide sustainable services it will be necessary to rebalance provision by shifting resources within Public Sector provision;
- There is concern that the current model of provision of domiciliary care is not robust enough to deliver a sustainable service for the future.
The key lines of enquiry will be:
- How well is the Council working with its partners?
- How well is the system being monitored and managed?
- How should the system be funded and resourced?
- What should be the priorities for social care at home?
How to provide your views
Interested groups or individuals are encouraged to submit written evidence to the inquiry by email to scrutiny@swansea.gov.uk. The Panel may contact you to discuss your evidence. All evidence that is submitted will be published as part of the inquiry, if you do not wish your evidence to be published please state clearly.
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