Public Statement - 22nd May 2011
PUBLIC STATEMENT: 22ND MAY, 2011
COUNCIL SPEAK WITH FORKED TONGUE?
On Monday 16th May, Argyll and Bute Council’s Head of Adult Care, wrote to a wide range of men and women who use learning disability services, on the subject of Service Redesign [the text of the letter is included at the close of this statement].
The letter from the Head of Adult Care refers to:
- “lengthy, wide-ranging consultation” having taken place;
- the need to “deliver improved, flexible and personalised services to adults with a learning disability across Argyll and Bute”;
- “the main reason for this review” being “not about the need to save money, but about wanting to change the way in which the service is delivered”;
- “a move towards more community-based service.........which is what our clients and their carers have been telling us they want”.
The letter closes by inviting people to attend a series of upcoming locality forum meetings where the principles of the review can be further discussed.
How to explain, therefore, that at hurriedly convened meetings in Oban and Lochgilphead on the same day, Monday 16th May, other Adult Care officers of the Council were advising members of Neighbourhood Networks, who were amongst the intended recipients of the letter, that the funding for their service was to be completely withdrawn at very short notice (pending a “decision” of the Budget Working Group on 19th May)?
And how to explain that this course of action being taken despite the fact that:
- officers were unable to evidence that any consultation of any kind had taken place with the people concerned;
- officers recognised and praised the flexible and personalised nature of the Neighbourhood Networks service;
- the main reason given by officers for the decision to withdraw funding was the need to save money, and to prioritise spending in line with eligibility criteria; and
- officers were unable at these meetings to describe the alternative community-based services which would replace the existing community-based service provided by Neighbourhood Networks?
At best this speaks of confused contradiction; and at worst, mischievous misinformation. Neighbourhood Networks will explore these contradictions further at meetings tomorrow, 23rd May, in Oban (at 12 noon) and in Lochgilphead (at 3pm). Anyone interested in the future of the Argyll Networks is welcome to join us at these events.
info@ neighbourhoodnetworks.org
on facebook at: http://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/Neighbourhood-Networks/185360428161813?sk=wall
on twitter @nayburhood
0141-314-0027
Following an extensive process and consultation about how services for adults with a learning disability will be provided in the future, the Learning Disability Project Team reported findings and recommendations to the Project Board on 4 May 2011.
The decison of the Board was to ask for a tender process to be carried out. This will help the Council make an informed decision about whether or not to outsource services to multiple providers. This will cover both community-based and buildings-based day services.
The decision comes after lengthy, wide-ranging consultation with service users, carers, staff, service providers, interested groups and the wider public. The Board agreed the review has always been about how to deliver improved, flexible and personalised services to adults with a learning disability across Argyll and Bute. So it was noted that main reason for this review is not about the need to save money, but wanting to change the way in which the service is delivered. That is moving towards more community-based service, with building-based services required. That is moving towards more community-based service, with building-based services as required, which is what our clients and their carers have been telling us they want.
It was stressed that whatever the results of the tender exercise, there would be no 'one size fits all' approach to learning disability services. The Spokesman for Social Affairs, Councillor Andrew Nisbet made it clear that "The presumption is that the services in the different areas of Argyll and Bute will be tailored to suit the particular needs in those areas," and that "the comments gathered during the consultation process will of course inform the specification of the tenders eventually issued".
It was made very clear that this decision did not mean that the services would definitely be outsourced at this time. There will be further steps in this decison making process: we are determinded that what we finally agree will provide the best possible outcome for adults with a learning disability and their carers across Argyll and Bute. The tender documents will be submitted to the next Project Board and Special Committee in August/September, prior to going out to tender.
A series of locality forum meetings are already scheduled in the near future to which all service users and carers have an open invitation to attend. Even if you do not normally attend these you are cordially invited to join in. It is hoped that the Spokesman for Social Affairs may be able to join some of these local meetings alongside service management representatives so the meetings will provide an opportunity for everyone to discuss this decision or ask any further questions they might have.