Cumberland Council were pleased to welcome the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, to Cumberland on Friday 3 January to announce the new social care reforms and independent commission.
Mr Streeting visited Burnrigg Court care home in Carlisle to take a tour of the intermediate care facility, meet staff and residents, as well as partake in several interviews with national press. The interviews were broadcast live from Burnrigg Court and featured on BBC Breakfast, Good Morning Britain, and the Today Programme on Radio 4.
As part of this visit, Councillors and council Officers, including Council Leader Mark Fryer and Chief Executive Officer Andrew Seekings, took the opportunity to discuss Cumberland Council’s ongoing prevention projects and workstreams with Mr Streeting. The council are adopting a more preventative approach across the delivery of adult social care services, with these workstreams focussing on allowing residents to stay independent for longer, in their own homes where possible.
The tour of the intermediate care facility in Burnrigg Court highlighted ongoing partnership work with the NHS. Mr Streeting saw how Cumberland Council and NHS colleagues worked together to develop a Workforce Sharing Agreement, meaning the council could access NHS bank staff to operate alongside care staff to support those in intermediate care beds, providing rehabilitation and supporting more people to be discharged from hospital and return home quicker.
Those involved with the scheme were proud to share the news that they recently won a Healthcare People Management Association (HPMA) Excellence in People Awards as a result of the agreement.
Mr Streeting also visited a local Carlisle couple who were recipients of a Disabled Facility Grant, meaning they received funding to adapt their home to meet their needs. The couple had alterations made to a bathroom so it could continue to be accessible, with the works completed by a local construction firm. Mr Streeting spoke with the couple about the positive impact of the grant, and what the funding meant for residents who could maintain their wellbeing and independence.
Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said:
“It has been a real pleasure to host the Secretary of State for Health, Wes Streeting, in Carlisle today and show him the facilities at Burnrigg Court and the positive impact of Disabled Facilities Grants in the local area. The visit has also given us the opportunity to talk to him about the work we have been doing in partnership with the NHS to avoid admission into hospitals, discharge earlier from hospitals and to support people to stay in their homes longer.
“We welcome the announcements today for a commission to reform social care in Britain. There remains a lot of work that needs to be done in terms of addressing the challenges with regards to the workforce in adult social care. We also welcome the preventative approach to services with the extra income for Disabled Facilities Grants. This very much aligns with the approach we are taking at Cumberland as we continue to embed prevention in our services.”