Long Term Neurological Conditions: The care pathway - how to access housing care and support services
8th February 2007, The Glebe Centre, Murton, Co. Durham
The Governments vision to develop services which deliver dignity for life is encapsulated in the National Service Framework (NSF) for long-term conditions which:-
- aims to ensure that individuals have access to services which meet their needs, maximize their quality of life and offer them dignity and control, and
- requires health commissioners to review the way they commission services, and makes particular reference to the need for assistive technology, suitable accommodation and joined up service delivery to provide maximum choice about living independently at home.
The challenge to the housing health and social care sectors is in joining up delivery of the NSF and providing better information to help individuals make more informed decisions about their care. This is about building upon existing services and developing networks which reach across housing health and social care to support people to be active members of their communities for the rest of their lives.
This unique event brought the NHS together with the supported housing sector and Telecare to raise awareness and improve understanding of how individuals with neurological conditions can access housing that supports rehabilitation, and services that support their independence. Clinicians, housing and Telecare providers were able examine the key issues and challenges to joined up service delivery and network with colleagues also working to provide better outcomes for people with neurological conditions.
The event was chaired by Janet Crampton, Commissioning Lead for NE and Y&H, Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP).
Commissioning for Long Term Neurological Conditions: The Guidance - Denise Gillie, CSIP Networks
Delivering the National Service Framework: the view from the NHS - Paul Thornton, Divisional Manager, Forensic Services, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear NHS Trust and Karen Urwin, Service Manager Walkergate Park - International Centre for Neuro-Rehabilitation and Neuro-Psychiatry Services.
The workshops covered examples of good practice around:
- the delivery of supported housing
- promoting independence through telecare
- an integrated approach to commissioning
Presentations from these workshops can be accessed in the Practice Bank.
The DH/CSIP Guidance on Commissioning Services for People with Long Term Neurological Conditions can be accessed here and in the Documents and Links page. The guidance considers a number of issues in following pathways for people to enhance the commissioning of services in a complex area and seeks to improve the experience of people using services as a result.
Delegates at the event said:
Excellent advice on new NSF guidance. I found this very helpful.
I have really benefited from networking with colleagues from different authorities.
Very useful to learn about new or emerging guiding/legislations and how other organisation have tackled similar issues.
Interesting programme and well done for tackling a rarely covered topic.
The seminars were excellent, a great way to ask lots of questions.