Citizen Advisors - Turning Point

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Turning Point Connected Care Report 24 5. Early Intervention Supporting people early on and in a way that is appropriate for them is a cornerstone of Putting People First and the personalisation agenda. Local authorities and NHS trusts across the UK are working hard to make a strategic shift towards prevention and early intervention. Prevention and early intervention can have different meanings across the health, social care and housing sectors and it can also mean different things according to the level of need. As a result, it is quite difficult to define, although a useful definition provided by Wistow et al. (2003): i) Preventing or delaying the need for high cost care as a result of ill health or disability due to ageing, and ii) Promoting and improving the quality of life of people and their inclusion within society and community life. Currently, the evidence for the effectiveness of preventative approaches in health and social care is growing stronger. For example, the Department of Health’s Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPP) and the Department for Work and Pension’s LinkAge Plus programme have illustrated that by providing low level support in the community a real difference can be made to the quality of life as well as to the demand for statutory services. “The POPP programme has significantly increased the evidence base about the effectiveness of preventative approaches, particularly where these are undertaken as part of joint working between health and social care” (Department of Health, 2010). Such programmes have also added to the growing body of evidence which shows that early intervention focussed, integrated health and well-being services can realise significant financial benefits. For example, studies have illustrated that integrated early intervention programmes can generate resource savings of over £2.50 for every £1 spent (Turning Point, 2010). The following examples have been designed in order to promote the independence and quality of life of people with health and social care needs and thus prevent reliance upon higher level services.
Turning Point Connected Care Report 25 5.1 Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPP) The Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPP) are designed to deliver local, innovative schemes for older people. At the centre of the POPP programme is a recognition that prevention and early intervention must be at the heart of the vision for future care and support. The Independence First programme in East Sussex is a community facing project funded by POPP. Independence First is designed to address low level or preventative and specialist needs, recognising that one without the other provides much less effective support. The navigator service is one part of the Independence First project in East Sussex and aims to reduce the risk of older people being admitted to hospital or institutional care. The East Sussex navigator service is a free (at the point of delivery) service aimed at helping people aged 60 and over to live independently at home for as long as they choose. It is provided by existing voluntary sector organisations in the East Sussex area, such as Anchor Staying Put and delivered by local community workers. Staff visits identified clients in their own homes to assess their health and social care needs and home safety. Signposting from a pre-agreed menu of ‘simple community services’ and/or referral to specialist services then takes place. This menu of simple/community services is crucial in providing the low-level support that makes a real difference to people’s daily lives and routines. As much as possible these services are provided free or at a reduced cost to the user. The navigators help people by providing information and directing them to the following support and services: Handyperson service - getting small jobs done around the home. Smoke detector fitting and home safety checks. Security advice and community alarms. Aids to help individuals move around their home. Community transport and carer services. Home and garden maintenance. Benefits advice. Finding local community groups e.g. internet club or exercise group. The navigator service is provided by a voluntary organisation and the navigators are trained in how to use the assessment tools and to navigate older people to appropriate services. They are also given budgets to purchase equipment for clients. Although, their primary aim is to prevent the need for more intensive service use, the East Sussex navigator service differs from the Local Area Coordination model implemented in parts of Australia and Scotland because it focuses on supporting people to access services that help them to live independently. Whilst this may involve referring people to social clubs or activities, the service
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Citizen Advisors - Turning Point

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