Blackpool Council wants to ensure that the care and support services that it commissions and provides for adults are the best they can possibly be. It is extremely important to us that we meet the needs of people who require extra support, developing solutions in partnership with existing service users, their carers and other residents.
Our partnerships come together in a Health and Wellbeing Board, and the council, and all our partners represented on this board have agreed that
Together we will make Blackpool a place where all people can live long, happy and healthy lives.
The 2017/18 local account, covering the period from 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018, looks at how we have improved outcomes for service users and carers through the services we have commissioned and provided, including preventative measures such as advice and information, services in the community such as care at home and residential care services.
The local account is an extremely important part of the council's commitment to be transparent with local residents about what we do in adult social care. It is also important for us to summarise what we have achieved over the last year, helping to remind us all what we are aiming for, evaluate where we have got to and by no means least, see where we need to improve.
In 2017/18 the quality of service provision in Blackpool continued to compare favourably both regionally and nationally with 89% of residential and nursing homes rated by CQC as 'good' and 'outstanding' compared to 79% nationally.
Care at home provision was also rated highly with 100% of services considered 'good' or 'outstanding' compared to 85% nationally.
The report
This report demonstrates that we are continuing to improve and make changes for the better in the context of the increasing economic challenges and a sustained demand on services throughout the Blackpool population. A high level of service user satisfaction continued to be evident with 90% of respondents to the annual survey reporting that they were either 'extremely', 'very' or 'quite' satisfied with the care and support they received.
In 2017/18 the council continued to work closely with colleagues in the health sector to promote the integration of services and the delivery of seamless and co-ordinated care and support. Six additional social workers and a team manager were recruited to work alongside health colleagues in new neighbourhood teams promoting healthy living and well-being and offering a wide range of practical support to local communities.
As we move forward, we want to continue to strengthen the methods by which people who access social care services, the public in general and our staff can give us feedback and contribute in a more independent way towards the evaluation of our performance.
If you would like to know more about the work of Blackpool's Adult Services Department in 2017/18 then please request a copy of the Local Account from Liz Turner, email: liz.turner@blackpool.gov.uk or write to:
Director of Adult Services
Blackpool Council
PO Box 4
Blackpool Council
FY1 1NA