Growth and development.pdf

West DunbartonshireIn the absence of joint community mental health teams, there is progress in co-locating socialworkers, community psychiatric nurses and occupational therapists in a hospital campus inDumbarton. A joint training programme has been introduced, partly related to the Adults withIncapacity (Scotland) Act 2000. Mental health forums in Dumbarton and Clydebank are thefocus for consultation and involvement of people with mental health problems.For single shared assessment, an agreed tool is being piloted by the Council and the ClydebankLHCC, linking with the medical requirement for an over-75s health care assessment. For an ITsolution to assist in single shared assessment, the partners have prepared a bid for ModernisingGovernment funds. A single shared assessment implementation plan is in place.A higher rate of people is receiving a service for physical disability than in most other authorities,and the number has increased between 1999 and 2001. There is a joint physical disabilitystrategy group, but no corresponding group for people with a sensory impairment. Joint working,including with education, operates at practice, rather than strategic, level. Progress achievedincludes:• appointment of a development worker;• LHCC funding for a full-time worker for people with a hearing impairment;• RNIB funding for a worker for people with a visual impairment within learning disabilityservices; and• (jointly with the Glasgow and West of Scotland Society for the Blind and public health staff)improved links with eye clinics.The rate of people receiving a community care service for drug and alcohol problems is higherthan in many other authorities and continues to grow at a rapid rate.Despite the complication of two health board partners, the Council and its partners have madeprogress on joint resourcing and joint management and, in particular, on how decision-makingwill work at a strategic level. A subcommittee of the overall Health Improvement and SocialJustice partnership is to act as the partnership body for joint resourcing and joint management.A joint strategy group is being set up, as will three joint posts on strategic planning, financialsupport and administration. Two locality planning and implementation groups have alreadybeen established.Joint resourcing will be developed on the basis of aligned budgets. The joint resourcing “pot”is being scoped in detail, and the joint staff forum is being set up in spring 2002. The partnersintend to extend joint training with further joint courses for staff, the voluntary sector andcommunity groups.261