Individual and carer feedback

Qualitative feedback from individuals in receipt of support and carers is just as important as quantitative data in understanding the quality and performance of provision, informing service design and future demand expectations. We regularly collect this through a range of means including our ASC Real Time Survey, service specific surveys and consultations via our Let’s Talk platform, workshops and groups, feedback obtained via telephone or face to face in the community. Most recently this has included engagement in respect of:

Example Unpaid carers:

To inform the Carers Action Plan 2024/26 a period of engagement with local carers took place to better understand current and anticipated requirements. ASC usage data and feedback from our statutory surveys and indicators also informed this plan. Key themes from this engagement include:

  • Many people did not realise they were carers or resonate with the term ‘carer’ as a label. Consequently, people were not aware of and did not access support available.
  • Increased respite and break provision is required; some carers noted reservations in loved ones accessing respite due to infection risks, quality concerns or a lack of suitable provision locally.
  • Taking a break looks different for everyone. For some carers, this means an hour or two to themselves; for others, this may mean a full weekend or extended breaks. Our offer needs to flex to individual carer and family requirements.
  • Some people were unclear of the function of carers assessments and how these can help.
  • Clearer and more assessable information and advice is needed, especially in relation to financial, practical and employment support available for carers.

To meet this feedback, our Carers Action Plan 2024/26 focuses on 3 key priority areas with work currently underway to achieve these actions:

  • Empower carers with flexible respite options, ensuring they can take breaks.
  • Deliver the right support, at the right time, and in the right place.
  • Maximise the reach of carers assessments to benefit more carers.

Example Short Term Home Support (STHS):

Individuals both currently and previously in receipt of commissioned home support services were invited to participate in a survey to understand what worked well, what could be improved and what they would want to see in home support services in the future.
107 people responded noting the following key themes:

  • Overall rating of the home support service received? 38.3% of people responded as ‘very good’, 33.6% responded as ‘good’.
  • Are your home support visits scheduled at a time that is convenient for you? 25.2% of people responded ‘always’ and 45.8% of people responded ‘most of the time’.
  • When asked if there were any other services responders would like to receive, most requested for short term support were installation of equipment e.g. wheelchair ramps, automatic doors, medical support for example appointments with doctors or mental health professionals, personal care and full or nighttime support.

Feedback was also collated from our Adult Social Care Real Time Experience Survey and via our Stakeholder Reference Group, where individuals expressed the importance of regular carers attending at regular times; ensuring carers have a satisfactory level of oral and written English skills so they can communicate with those they are supporting; have at least basic cooking skills to help people prepare food; locking doors properly after calls; people to be supported by carers of their requested gender e.g. females supporting females. All areas of feedback were used to inform the service specification, with further engagement planned for the recommissioning of long-term home support planned for 2024 including focus groups with individuals in receipt of support.

Example Provider feedback:

In 2023 Commissioning sought the views of the provider market in respect of our current support offer and how we can further improve this. A total of 63 providers responded to the survey with key highlights as follows:

  • Providers found quality assurance visits, provider forums and email updates as the most useful forms of support.
  • 90% of providers were clear on the local authorities safeguarding process whilst 10% advised more clarity was required; 70% of providers would appreciate more safeguarding training.
  • 100% of providers were clear on their own responsibilities in the safeguarding process.
  • Providers were keen for lessons learnt from previous contracts, our quality assurance approach and future market direction and intentions to be included within our MPS.As a result of this feedback, safeguarding refresher training was delivered to the market by the Councils Safeguarding Adults Coordinator with further sessions planned for 2024, an escalation process developed for financial and safeguarding queries, and further engagement on our general safeguarding process and engagement session on the Market Position Statement took place in June 2024.

A reference group of providers were also offered the opportunity to comment on the Market Position Statement.