| Circular SWSG7/94 5458 - Community Care - The
Housing Dimention
SECTION 7 - FURTHER ACTION
Introduction
7.1 This circular has provided guidance on interagency
action on housing and community care in the fields of planning, assessment and care
management, and funding. However, we recognise that this guidance is only a first step,
and that more needs to be done by national and local bodies, and also by The Scottish
Office. Therefore this final section sets out what further action might be taken.
Good Practice Guidance
7.2 The Scottish Office, in partnership with Scottish
Homes, has commissioned the Nuffield Centre for Community Care Studies at the University
of Glasgow to develop and administer on our behalf a database of information on good
practice in community care. The database became operational in July this year and, once
fully developed, will comprise a library of good practice information on all aspects
concerned with the implementation of community care and the policy more generally. The
main sources of information for the database and users of its product are expected to be
in social work departments, health boards, NHS Trusts, housing authorities and other
housing bodies, the voluntary and private sectors, research and professional interests and
users and carers' organisations. The Database will include, for example, - information
about strategic approaches, effective processes, and the development of new or innovative
services. Further information about the Database may be obtained from Professor Alison
Petch, Nuffield Centre for Community Care Studies, University of Glasgow, 7 Lilybank
Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RZ. Tel: 041-330-5600. Meanwhile, Annex 6 provides examples of
existing practice relating to housing forums, aggregate needs assessment, and individual
needs assessment which may be helpful in considering local action.
Community Care Implementation Unit
7.3 The Community Care Implementation Unit will continue to
support and encourage inter-agency collaboration in the development of jointly agreed
programmes and action plans for achieving community care objectives. Within that framework
the Unit will concentrate on facilitating co-operation on 4 separate but related areas of
work central to the overall policy. These are:-
Community Care Planning.
The Reduction of long-stay institutions.
Human resource implications, workforce re-profiling,
training and development.
Dissemination of information and good practice.
The remit of the Unit does not cover every aspect of
community care. Important areas such as assessment and care management, purchasing and
contracting will continue to be taken forward by Social Work Services Group and the NHS
Management Executive within The Scottish Office.
Information and Research
7.4 In addition to the work of the Standing Group on
Community Care Information Requirements, The Scottish Office is financing further work on
the establishment of core data sets for community care which can be shared between all
agencies delivering community care, and which will enhance inter-agency co-operation and
assist planning.
7.5 Scottish Homes is establishing SCOTSPEN, which is the
collation of a national database on Supported Accommodation which will be available to
participating organisations. It is also publishing, for information purposes, the
"Community Care Information Paper", and carrying out work on the definition of
models of accommodation in Care in the Community. For its part, The Scottish Office is
also considering funding research into extending the present guidance on community care
groups.
7.6 An important aspect of all this work will be ensuring
that the results, and other relevant information, are disseminated widely to both senior
managers and practitioners involved in community care.
Training
7.7 If housing and community care is to be implemented
successfully, there is a need to consider the training needs of all levels of staff
dealing with the topic; including joint training between staff from housing, social work,
and health bodies. The issues covered by this circular provides a check list of possible
topics. The first need may be to ensure that staff in one sector, particularly at
operational level, are aware of the procedures, practice and terminology used by other
sectors; and how their own work impacts on other sectors.
Local Government Reorganisation
7.8 Further guidance on the implications of local
government reorganisation for housing and community care, as for other fields, will be
issued following Royal Assent of the Local Government Etc (Scotland) Bill.
Inquiries
7.9 Any inquiries about this circular should be addressed
to Mr Alister Murphy at The Scottish Office Environment Department, Room 420, St Andrew's
House, Regent Road, Edinburgh EH1 3DE, telephone 031-244-3557, or Mr Alastair Wallace,
Room 427 at the same address (telephone 031-244-2536). |
