|
At the beginning of the financial year (April 2004) we set ourselves a number of targets. These were summarised under the headings of:
|
|
|
- improving the quality of life for people who use ELCAP's services;
- being able to prove to ourselves and others that services were being delivered to an acceptable standard;
- strengthening and stabilising the staff group;
- meeting our financial targets.
|
|
|
|
A range of informal supports was introduced to supplement the staff team, mainly through the use of Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and we were successful in our bid to work with Project Scotland in placing young volunteers. A Housing Options feasibility study was carried out. This explored and tested the viability of a plan to use the equity tied up in shared housing owned by ELCAP to give people the opportunity to move to their own tenancy. This led into discussions with an established housing provider and this work is continuing.
|
|
|
|
In the meantime, four people were supported to move from shared living to their own tenancies. We achieved 50% of our target to develop meaningful day opportunities for people receiving support, and 100% of our target to ensure that all the people supported by ELCAP were receiving all of the welfare benefits to which they are entitled. The latter target was achieved by working in close partnership with FAIR. This partnership led to a successful joint application to the Pension Services Fund and resulted in the setting up in East Lothian and Edinburgh of a benefits advice project targeted on older people with a learning disability and older carers of people with a learning disability.
|
|
|
|
External monitoring of service quality will re-start again in 2005-6 with the review of Supporting People services and with Care Commission inspection of housing support and care at home services. Internal monitoring combines measurable 'hard' information about complaints and incidents, reported quarterly to the Board, and 'soft' information largely collected from regular individual service reviews. Relatives and care managers are invited to these reviews which are also attended by a senior manager for monitoring purposes. People and their representatives are invited to say what they like and dislike about the service they receive and how it might be improved. Next steps are agreed. A record of the meeting is shared with all interested parties and comments on service quality are collated and reported quarterly to the Board.
|
|
|
|
Pay-rates to staff involved in support services were revised and improved and recruitment and retention were improved. Investors in People status, first awarded in 1994, was re-confirmed.
|
|
|
|
As the attached accounts show, we managed to end the year with a small surplus and we met our development targets for new work. At the end of 2003-4 we had recorded a bumper surplus due largely to some growth through Supporting People and the very late payment on the ELC Supporting People contract. For the year 2004-5 there was no cost of living increase in the SP funding, and with effect from 1 April 2005 this budget will be cut in stages starting with a 7.5% reduction to allow central government to re-distribute the SP pot across all of the local authorities. Over three years a reduction of 18% is expected in this contract, rising to 24% if non-funding of cost of living increases is factored in. It is not yet clear what the overall impact of this targeted reduction is likely to be. In 2005-6 we are concentrating on smarter working to reduce costs and on growth to improve income to balance the books but this will not be feasible to sustain over a succession of year-on-year cuts.
|
|
|
|
During the course of the year we were told we would have to put on hold our plans for supporting moves to individual tenancies until care managers could carry out comprehensive community care assessments. This led to the setting up of a Joint Project Board between ELCAP and ELC. We are continuing to work through this Joint Board and are still hopeful that we can agree shared objectives and then work together to find ways of giving people the kind of service they want and need, despite the obvious pressures on public sector funds.
|
|
|
|
Sadly, a number of people who had been supported by ELCAP for many years died in the course of the year. Richard Woods (38) and George Skeldon (82) had been supported first in Prestonkirk Hostel and then in their respective homes since 1990. Richard had moved to Dunbar and then to Haddington. George had lived in Haddington for many years and had spent the last few months of his life in a nursing home in Port Seton. Since the end of the period covered by this report there have been two further deaths, that of Ann Charleston (55), at her home in Musselburgh and of Roseanne Gallagher (Haddington) after a brief illness. All three are greatly missed.
|
|
|
|
When this report is presented to the AGM we will be half way through another financial year. Despite all of the obvious difficulties, the Board and the staff group are still committed to working on our strategic objectives: individualising and improving the quality of our services; growing our services, especially outside of East Lothian; and being a good employer.
|
|
|
|
LINDA HEADLAND
|
|
Director
|
|
|
