Growth and development.pdf

MorayCommunity mental health teams work in localities. A mental health framework group improveslinks with users and carers, with the intention of helping users become more involved in thedevelopment of services. A recently completed restructuring of rehabilitation services has ledto a new facility in Elgin, managed by SAMH.Local partners have implemented single shared assessment, building on a strong history of jointworking. Key agencies and staff are involved through seminars and newsletters. Users, carersand the independent sector are being involved in locality planning. The local single sharedassessment tool has been updated using Scottish Executive guidance and now consists of ageneric assessment, a simple/self assessment, and a comprehensive assessment. Guidanceand joint training has been delivered. The SSA has been adopted across agencies and agreedas a common document for Grampian. The lack of a shared IT client/patient record makes itdifficult for staff to implement. Local priorities are being set out jointly for the use of resources,and some budgets are already aligned.Between 1999 and 2001 there was a huge decrease in the number of people receiving acommunity care service for physical disability, however, this may be associated with problemsexperienced during 2000-2001, with maintaining client contact statistics. In 1999-2000 the rateof people receiving a service was higher than in many other authorities. By 2000-2001 it wasvery low.The Moray Resource Centre provides a location for services to people with a sensory and physicalimpairment. In addition, Grampian Society for the Blind have their own premises in Elgin andhave strong links with Moray Resource Centre. Staff from Grampian Society for the Blind,Aberdeen and North East Deaf Society and colleagues from 3 other voluntary organisationsprovide specialist services. A recent review of the Grampian Society has led to a shift in focusfrom social work towards rehabilitation.The Moray Carers Forum has been the driving force behind a range of fresh initiatives for carers:• organising consultation days with carers in 2000 and 2001; and• conducting an audit of existing services, which led to an improved view of what carersthemselves wanted, and what was lacking in Moray; a strategy for carers in Moray, “Carersspeak out……”, now articulates clearly what carers asked for, and how the various providersof services will respond.Significant steps have been taken towards joint resourcing and joint management, building onalready existing arrangements. The Moray Community Care Partnership has agreed to move toa unified management structure, with a single head of service for community care (Health andSocial Care) accountable to the partnership. Staff will, for the most part, stay with their currentemployer, but are to be organised and managed to meet the needs of the service.The partnership covers all council and LHCC community care resources, initially for older peopleand people with physical disabilities. A joint senior management group that includes the LHCC,community care, Acute Trust, health promotion and housing representatives has been set up.The scoping of the pot exercise has identified all the relevant staffing, property, equipment andbudgets held by the council and LHCC. There are some jointly funded commissioning posts, analigned OT service and aligned area teams.171