Housing for Varying Needs Review - Aberdeen City Council

NeedsHousing for Varying Needs ReviewSummary of Key Legislative Framework:APPENDIX 4• National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 – this Actaimed to oversee the policy aim of shifting the balance of care fromhospitals and institutions to community based settings. It was also anattempt to bridge the gaps in community care law and to reduce DHSSexpenditure on residential care. It placed a duty on local authorities toassess the need for ‘community care services’ and enhanced their dutyto secure the provision of welfare services within a ‘mixed economy ofcare’.• Modernising Community Care: An Action Plan (Scottish Office,1998) – published in response to concerns about the way serviceswere being managed, delivered, and whether, in fact, they were theservices people really required. It moved the focus of community caretowards a partnership approach, and recognised that the successfuldelivery of community care depended on the ability of key agencies towork together, and with others. The main aims were: Better and fasterresults for people by focusing on them and their needs. More effectiveand efficient joint working, based on partnerships.• Modernising Community Care: The Housing Contribution (ScottishExecutive, 1999) – recognised Housing’s essential role in achievingcommunity care objectives, and was published to be read alongsideModernising Community Care : An Action Plan. Set out guidance forhousing providers on general principles of good practice. The guidancecovered: Strategic planning Local planning and joint workingTranslating strategic objectives into actual outcomes in local areas Thedevelopment of joint and shared assessments Hospital dischargeprocedures Options for a home based care and support solution forindividuals Housing management, including housing support functionsMonitoring and evaluation• Community Care : A Joint Future (Scottish Executive, 2000) – TheJoint Future Group was established by the Scottish Executive inresponse to a view that the vision of joint working laid out inModernising Community Care : An Action Plan had not been realised.The group was tasked with identifying ways of improving joint workingamong statutory agencies involved in delivering community care. Thereport that was published focused on achieving better outcomes forpeople, through: Better use of resources, with shared priorities Bettermanagement, with single management arrangements Lessbureaucracy and duplication Quicker and easier access to services Thereport contained 19 detailed recommendations, includingrecommendations intended to assist with the shift of the balance ofcare (from institutional care to care at home). The Scottish Executive39