Growth and development.pdf

8. The FutureNumbers of older people who need community care are relatively high and will continue toincrease. Against a background of severe local budgetary problems, the Council has not spentup to GAE level on community care. The Council now needs to invest more heavily in communitybasedsupport for older people, particularly in home care. It should progress urgently its bestvalue review of home care, as the basis for decisions on its future development to meet localneeds for quality services and on the resource priorities required to implement the necessaryimprovements.Mental health provision calls for urgent joint attention. Community services need to bestrengthened by involvement of social workers to complement the skills of health professionalsin local teams. A joint team in the hospital-based mental health unit would seem moreeffective than the present arrangements, which are limited to attachment of social workers.In addition there is a need to assess how best to meet the current shortage of psychologicalservices for depressive illness, adjustment disorders and life stresses. Any review of servicesshould take serious account of the contribution which can be made by specialist voluntaryorganisations.As advocated by the Mental Health and Well Being Support Group, there is a need for the localpartners to review the range of in-patient services necessary to meet the needs of people witha learning disability and to determine the resource priorities for making improvements.Sensing Progress recommended developing a strategic framework to guide the planning andimplementation of services for people with a sensory impairment. This approach seemscompletely suited to the circumstances of Scottish Borders, and the Council and its healthpartner could commission a joint expert group for the purpose.224