ITEM 8 Carers Strategy Update Report 02.04.25
North Lanarkshire Council · 21 May 2025
Back to IJB Performance, Finance and Audit Committee — 21 May 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
1 REPORT Item No: 8 SUBJECT: Supporting Unpaid Carers and progress update on implementation of the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024 -2027 TO: IJB Performance, Finance and Audit Committee Lead Officer for Report: Morag Dendy, Head of Planning, Performance and Quality Assurance Author(s) of Report Maria Williamson, Senior Manager, Quality Assurance DATE: 21 May 2025 1. PURPOSE OF REPORT This report provides a progress update on the actions taken to support unpaid carers over the past year, following the launch of the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy, in May 2024.The report seeks continuing committee support and endorsement of the approach taken to support unpaid carers locally. The intention set out in reporting to IJB in May 2024, on taking a “what might help?” approach to supporting unpaid carers has seen developments continue to be directly influenced and informed by carer feedback. The “what might help?” approach seeks to mitigate risk around any uncertainty as to what might otherwise constitute priority or eligible caring related need, as carer engagement identified many instances where carers had previously been informed that “their needs weren’t a priority”, or that they “were not eligible for support.” Such feedback made carers reluctant to seek support, until at absolute crisis point, resulting in missed opportunities to develop preventative and \ or participatory approaches, and a mistrust of services. Other carers cited a traumatizing impact, through being informed that their needs were not important enough, or significant enough to merit any consideration. Collectively across the wider carer support network, significant effort has been taking place to redress this, through “what might help?” focused conversations. A “what might help?” approach doesn’t seek to draw carers into statutory service provision, or “clientise” people. Rather, the approach can often be as straightforward as a supportive conversation, where the carer feels valued, respected, listened to and reassured, and does not require new, or significantly more resourcing.
Page 2
2 “What might help?” could be: • conversations with carers recognising and affirming any capacity to self-help and self-care • income maximisation • wider family and \or community supports • enabling approaches • carer peer support • risk mitigation through identifying assistive technology solutions, • employer support • support through carer focused support organisations. Any or all the above, dependent on the individual carer situation, should be considered as a start point, prior to any supports provided by University Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire being considered, whether support be to the cared for person, the unpaid carer, or both. Existing, as well as new and innovative carer led and carer informed initiatives, such as an expanded Carer Breather programme and Carer Outcome grants have played a part in helping to meet carer outcomes over the past year. Quality Assurance’s role in committed partnership working with carer focused community and voluntary sector (CVS) organisations in engaging with unpaid carers, allied to demographic information, business intelligence and professional knowledge, seeks to ensure that we meet the statutory requirements set out in the: • Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 • Social Care (Self Directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 • Planning with People (Community engagement and participation guidance) (COSLA and Scottish Govt, 2021, updated 2024) Within this legislative context, we want to ensure that there is meaningful choice and control for carers (and supported people) locally, and that we meet the aspirations set out in the National Carers Strategy (Scottish Govt, Dec 2022) as well as the statements of strategic intent set out in the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024 -2027 (Appended) This paper is coming to the IJB PFA for: For approval For endorsement ☒ To note ☒
Page 3
3 2. ROUTE TO THE BOARD This paper has been: Prepared By: ☒ Reviewed By: ☒ Endorsed By: ☒ Morris Howat, Service Manager, Quality Assurance Maria Williamson, Senior Manager, Quality Assurance Morag Dendy, Head of Planning, Performance and Quality Assurance 3. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the Integration Joint Board: (1) Endorse the approach to supporting Carers in North Lanarkshire (2) Note the range of supports to unpaid carers available locally. 4. VARIATIONS TO DIRECTIONS? Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A ☒ 5. BACKGROUND/SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES Background 5.1 The background context remains consistent to that set out in previous reporting: Scotland’s national and local public bodies are committed to improving the ways individual people, and communities are engaged in decision-making that affects them. This is particularly relevant to the development of the health and social care services upon which we all rely. (Source: Planning with People; Community engagement and participation guidance. (Published by COSLA and The Scottish Government 2021) 5.2 North Lanarkshire continues to build and develop upon a long-standing positive record of engagement and participation and strong relationships with supported people, carers, and community organisations. This approach has ensured that the citizens of our area can continue to influence, inform, and have a role in shaping local policy, strategy, and services.
Page 4
4 5.3 The approach to engagement and participation continues to facilitate carers, supported people, and carer focused organisations, to influence and shape the range of carer supports set out within our local Carers Strategy 2024- 2027 5.4 Carers in North Lanarkshire are subject to the many challenges faced by unpaid carers nationally – around accessing breaks from caring, the hidden costs of caring, and issues accessing replacement care are widely known and recognised, but solutions can be harder to identify. National Census information confirms that more people are having to provide unpaid care, we are faced with an ageing population of unpaid carers, and resources are finite, whilst needs are infinite. However, the local carer experience continues to be significantly more positive than the findings and statistics reported nationally, as set out in previous reporting. Since last year we have continued to engage with unpaid carers and build on progress to date, and upon the intent set out in the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024-2027. Report 5.5 In the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024-2027, there were specific focus areas where we set out that we would: • Improve preventative approaches, anticipatory approaches, and future planning. • Improve communication with carers and their access to advice, information and support • Ensure that carers know their rights • Support carer health and well being • Ensure that carers can get a break from caring • Ensure that carers and the people being cared for, have their income maximized • Improve the carer experience around hospital discharge. • Improve awareness of, and access to, assistive technology • Offer specific support to young carers, Parent carers, Minority Ethnic carers, and LGBTQIA+ carers • Ensure that carers are at the heart of policy, strategy and support planning • Improve the carer experience around hospital discharge. The actions taken, and progress made in working to achieve these aims is set out below.
Page 5
5 5.6 In line with legislative requirements, a Procurement Exercise was undertaken in late 2024 to identify carer focused organisations who would work in close partnership with UHSCNL to meet the needs and outcomes of unpaid carers locally. The Whole Contract Value was £18 million, across a potential maximum six-year contract arrangement (three years, plus one year, plus one year, plus one year, subject to performance) and divided into five distinct Lots: • Adult Carer Support and Adult Carer Support Plans (Lot 1) • Carer Information, Advice, Campaigning, Engagement and Participation (Lot 2) • Dementia specific caring (Lot 3) • Hospital Discharge related caring (Lot 4) • Young Carers (Lot 5 The respective successful bidders were: Lanarkshire Carers (Lot 1) North Lanarkshire Carers Together (NLCT) (Lot 2) Alzheimer’s Scotland (Lot 3) Getting Better Together (Lot 4) Action for Children Young Carers Support Project (Lot 5) In addition to the commissioned organisations noted above, funding continued to be provided to: PAMIS (through a 2-year Proposal for Funding) – to offer a Family Support Service for families caring for individuals with profound, complex and multiple disabilities, where specialist knowledge is required, often beyond the scope of mainstream carer focused organisations. HOPE for Autism (through a 3-year Direct Award) – to support children, adults and family carers, where Autism or Neurodivergence is a feature. Further, North Lanarkshire Disability Forum (NLDF) were commissioned to deliver on the Engagement and Participation Strategy 2024 -2027, and within that, offer funding through a “growth pot”, aimed at organisations with a turnover of less than £50,000 a year – to promote engagement across seldom heard communities and organisations. Within this work, voices of previously “hidden” carers are also coming to the fore. NLDF also host a number of Community Connectors, whose remit is to ensure that where there is a risk of isolation or loneliness, that people, including carers, have an opportunity to be connected to their community, around their interests, hobbies and preferred activities. The wider Community Solutions programme, though Voluntary Action North Lanarkshire also provides opportunities for carers, through a diverse range of CVS organisations. The carer support landscape set out above offers a wide range of opportunities
Page 6
6 for carers, and work continues to ensure that any barriers to accessing such opportunities, such as replacement care, can be recognised and addressed. The Adult Carer Advocacy remit was re-aligned to an Advocacy provider organisation, having been previously hosted by NLCT, as part of the Tender exercise. Over and above the funding noted above, individual carer circumstances continued to be reflected in the adjustment of individual budgets to the cared for person, where deflators are generally applied to reflect that the person receiving a budget has unpaid carer support (rather than paid support) available, to meet outcomes. In circumstances where the carer support is limited, due to things such as multiple caring roles, carer ill health and so on, deflators can be adjusted, or in extreme circumstances, removed altogether. Accordingly, the total spend on carer support is far more than the amounts detailed within this report. 5.7 Relationships with the range of carer focused organisations outlined above in supporting and facilitating engagement and participation has been a significant factor in our collective approach to date. Input from carer focused organisations has proven invaluable generally, but particularly so regarding groups of carers from specific areas of caring, identified in the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024 -2027, particularly parent carers, carers from minority ethnic backgrounds and LGBTQI+ carers. 5.7.1 Last year, we reported on an innovative Hospital Discharge Payment Scheme for Carers offering a one-off payment of £1,000 to families to support their loved one for the first 6 weeks out of hospital. This was introduced to ensure people did not remain in hospital for any longer than needed to reduce the risk of delayed discharge arising from prolonged wait times for people who required support upon hospital discharge, but where social care provision could not be guaranteed due to difficulties arising from the pressures around social care recruitment, retention, and staffing. Initially introduced as a pilot \ demonstration scheme, ninety carers and ninety cared for people benefited from this scheme across 2023 -2024, at a cost of £90,000. That expenditure compared very favourably when set against both the financial and human costs of delayed discharge. 5.7.2 The Hospital Discharge Payment Scheme for Carers ended on 31st March 2024, with NLCT then undertaking further evaluation. (Report Appended.) It was evident from the Evaluation Report that carers valued the Hospital Discharge Carers Payment initiative. 5.7.3 Based on this positive feedback, we then incorporated the Hospital Discharge Payment Scheme for Carers into our much wider approach to Carer Outcome Grants – an initiative managed by Lanarkshire Carers on behalf of UHSCNL. The rationale for this was based on a range of considerations: the efficacy of Lanarkshire Carers conversation-based approach to supporting carers has been proven over time to be very successful in helping carers source solutions to caring related issues. Further, there can be caring related situations that require a “cash first” approach, and rather than carers having to be referred between agencies, it was recognised that Lanarkshire Carers being able to offer
Page 7
7 a discretionary payment of up to £1000, dependent on individual carer situations, helped alleviate otherwise difficult, protracted and stressful caring related circumstances. The third consideration was that carer feedback had demonstrated that even when the carer received a carer’s individual budget, following the progression of an Adult Carer Support Plan (ACSP), the time commitment and steps involved in setting up Direct Payment arrangements, often resulted in the “here and now” crisis” situation continuing for longer than was necessary. 5.7.4 Carer Outcome Grants are not advertised or publicised anywhere – as the main intention remains that a conversation-based approach helps identify carer strengths and solutions, and that the importance of the ACSP is the focus on both “what might help?” and on future planning, rather than as a form of “gateway to services” or money. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated by the fact that through the conversation-based approach, only around 8% to 10% of carer referrals received by Lanarkshire Carers, result in an onward referral to Social Work. 62 Carer Outcome Grants, totaling £49,283.20 were made between April 2024 and March 2025, with none of these relating to Hospital Discharge. Whilst the initial Hospital Discharge Carers Payment Scheme. 5.7.5 Support for Carers involved in facilitating hospital discharge was further recognised and strengthened within the Carers Tender, through the inclusion of Lot 4, which had a specific focus on this area. Getting Better Together (GBT) were the successful bidder for Lot 4. The Tender also gave an opportunity to refine previous arrangements, where there had been a degree of drift around how long post discharge carer support should be in place for, as well as some concern regarding signposting and a risk of carers “falling through the cracks” in support arrangements. Refinements within the Tender specification stipulate a maximum 7-day period for GBT involvement, with a range of options thereafter, including, but not limited to, no further action needed, referral to community connectors, onward referral to carer focused support organisations for any ongoing caring related support and/or progression of an ACSP, or referral to Social Work, should that be required. 5.8 Further Expansion of Carer Breather. We reported last year on the expansion of Carer Breather Phase 2. Designed in partnership with carers in North Lanarkshire, Carer Breather is a pioneering initiative that not only supports carers to have time out, but also ensures carers have better access to their communities and works to reduce loneliness, isolation and foster friendships and relationships. The second round of funding for Carer Breather services was allocated to 11 organisations across North Lanarkshire. Funding is being used to provide breaks to carers from their caring roles in their local communities. 5.9 Through the opportunity created by the requirement to go to Tender, we sought bids in relation to Lot 2, where the successful bidder would expand Carer Breather still further. NLCT (the previous incumbent) was the successful bidder for Lot 2 of the Carers Tender, and Phase 3 of Carer Breather commenced in April 2025, with an expansion to 15 organisations: Bazooka Arts
Page 8
8 Central Scotland Adventures CACE (Cumbernauld) Glenboig Development Trust Health and Wellness Hub Lanarkshire Deaf Hub North Lanarkshire Disability Forum PAMIS PlayPeace Parkinsons Self Help Group The Haven VIP Pass Volunteering Matters Watch Us Grow YMCA Links to all the organisations can be found here: https://www.carerstogether.org/support-network/ Carer Breather enables carers to have time away from their caring role a few hours each week - to support carer wellbeing. Some services provide support for carers at the same time as providing support for the person they care for. This reflects requests from carers that they can access support that allows them to enjoy some joint time-out to relax in a community setting without having to worry about sourcing replacement care. Carers can self-refer to Carer Breather by contacting the organisations noted above directly. 5.9.1 The range of Carer Breather options sits within a much wider range of carer break options, with the Lanarkshire Carers Short Breaks Bureau, Time to Live Funding and individual Carer Budgets ensuring that carers can exercise choice and control in accessing the type of break most in keeping with their individual needs. Locally, we believe that we are already well placed to meet any requirements around the legal right to breaks from caring, as and when that is encompassed within an amendment to the Carers (Scotland) Act, as seems likely, following the shift away from the development of a national Care Service, where such a right was initially planned to be set out. The much wider context around affordability and sustainability regarding breaks from caring means that we must continue to focus on the key tenets of self-help, independence, empowerment and enablement, meaning that wherever possible, planning with carers can help identify how carers can self-manage breaks from caring, through options such as wider family, technology, family breaks together and identification of options that make sense to both the carer and the person/people being cared for. This reinforces the importance of progression Adult Carer Support Plans.
Page 9
9 5.9.2 We reported last year on increased funding to PAMIS to build capacity in the PAMIS Family Support Service, offering support to families caring for a family member with complex multiple disabilities. Around 160 families in North Lanarkshire are supported through this service. The nature of carer support goes beyond that offered by the main commissioned carer services as support around issues like postural drainage, daily stretching, physiotherapy, and specialist toileting techniques all require carers to have specialist knowledge. This increased funding is now coming to an end, and we are unable to offer funding for a third time through the Proposal for Funding option, which is limited to two years. Work is ongoing to consider whether a Direct Award should be offered. 5.9.3 PAMIS have also recently undertaken an audit of Changing Places Toilets across North Lanarkshire. Across Scotland there are around one million disabled people and, of that number, around 25,000 require access to larger sanitary facilities with specialist equipment such as: a hoist, adult sized changing bench, and a peninsular WC (toilet with a space either side for carers to assist). These larger sanitary facilities are known as ‘Changing Places Toilets’ (CPTs). Figures appear to vary, dependent upon which information source is accessed, but based on 2021 figures, throughout Scotland, there are around 250 CPT’s available. Without access to these facilities, families are sometimes forced to change loved ones on an unhygienic public toilet floor; clearly this is not acceptable. It can lead to people missing opportunities because there are no suitable sanitary facilities nearby. It can lead to social isolation as people are not confident that appropriate facilities will be available out-with the comfort of their own home. This not only affects the individual directly but can affect their friends and family as days out may have to be cut short—if they happen at all—due to the lack of suitable facilities. To facilitate the inclusion of all our citizens in community settings and local community life, CPT’s are required. 5.9.4 In summary, the audit of CPT’s highlighted an inconsistent picture, with the negative findings being that some facilities having no signage, staff being unaware that the building that they worked in had a CPT, equipment poorly maintained or not services, or the CPT being used as a store cupboard. More positively, other facilities were appropriately signed, staff were knowledgeable, and the facility was in good order. However, the positive feedback related to only 6 of the 16 CPT’s, so there is progress to be made. This is now being taken forward. 5.9.5 The number of citizens who require such facilities may never be significant in comparison those who could use mainstream public toilet provision. However, without CPT’s, the risk is that without adequately signed, clean, accessible, properly maintained, and appropriately equipped CPT’s, many families will simply opt to go elsewhere, meaning that wider community benefit is lost through families opting to go out with North Lanarkshire to spend their time and money. As demographic information highlights, the need for CPT’s is increasing, so the fundamental question is not whether we can afford to provide adequately resourced CPT’s, but whether we can afford note to, not just to meet
Page 10
10 legislative requirements, but to evidence that the needs of s our most disabled citizens are recognised and provided for. 5.9.6 We also reported last year on the introduction of support for carers supporting a family member with Dementia, through Alzheimer’s Scotland. This service provides holistic support to carers of people who have been diagnosed with dementia with a focus on meeting the needs and improve the quality of life, physical and mental wellbeing of carers of people with dementia to reduce stress and distress, maintain a healthy live/work balance and a reduction in the people with dementia being admitted to long term care. Alzheimer’s Scotland were the successful bidders for Lot 3 in the Carers Tender, and as a result, this service is being continued and further developed. Support for carers of people with dementia is further enhanced by the availability of a Care Academy (NHS Lanarkshire) where family members of people recently diagnosed with dementia can access a 2-day introductory course, and further Post Diagnostic Support (PDS) – where support must be available for a year, following a dementia diagnosis. The support for carers offered by Alzheimer’s Scotland is an essential element of carer support, alongside these two initiatives. 5.9.7 5.9.7 The extended 3-year contract for HOPE for Autism reported on last year, expired at the end of March 2025. A six-month extension to that contract is currently in place. Due to legal considerations around procurement, it is likely that there will be a requirement to go to Tender regarding this area of work in the near future. HOPE currently provides an all-age information and advice service for people with Autism, family members, carers, and professionals. Investment in practitioners from Autism Network to ensure that families have access to specialist knowledge locally around neurodivergence and the challenges that can arise around neurological conditions also came to and end during the past year, with sustainability being sought through training delivery and input to locality-based staff. 5.9.8 Support continued for Action for Children Young Carers Project who directly work with young carers to complete Young Carer Statements, assessments, reviews, and referrals for the young carer service. Action For Children were the successful bidder for Lot 5 within the Carer Tender 5.9.9 We have continued to offer development opportunities for Social Work staff around commissioned organisations, Adult Carer Support Plans, carer budget processes and Young Carer Statements. The commissioned carer focused organisations, and funded organisations have also accessed Trauma Informed Practice sessions, organized by North Lanarkshire Council, so that these principles can be embedded within day-to-day operational practice by these partner organisations. 5.10 Carer awareness events in tandem with the Assistive Technology team, have continued to take place both raising the awareness of, and promoting, assistive technology as a means of supporting both carers and those being cared for. It remains vital that this approach – to maximizing independence, minimizing risk, and encouraging a pro-active preventative approach is integral to assessment
Page 11
11 and planning, as often, carers only first present when already in crisis, resulting it being too late to benefit from preventative approaches. 5.10.1 As previously reported, the 2nd annual Commitment to Carers Event took place in Motherwell in May 2024, following on from the inaugural event in Bellshill in 2023. The event saw a number of carers and young carers delivering keynote addresses on various caring related topics. The event also served as the official launch of the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024 -2027. As part of the movement towards ever greater carer engagement and participation, responsibility for the annual Commitment to Carers Event has now passed from UHSCNL to NLCT, with the 3rd annual event continuing to have a focus on celebrating the impact of carer focused activity, and is scheduled for November 2025, at the Chryston Community Hub. 5.10.2 A range of engagement and participation activity aimed at all carers, but with a focus on underrepresented individuals, groups, or communities, including carers from minority ethnic communities and LGBTQI+ communities was evident throughout the year. Funding was made available for an Equalities post within NLCT, and this augments a similar existing post within Lanarkshire Carers. 5.10.3 Funding from a variety of sources, including Carer Breather, VANL Community Mental and Well Being Fund, NLDF Growth Pot, and NLC Grant Awards Programme was also successfully accessed by a range of organisations with a focus on underrepresented communities, and this route offers a further pathway for the carer voice to be heard. This range of CVS organisations, including those with an age related, or condition specific focus, continue to have a role in direct, or indirect, support to carers as well as supported people. Monitoring and quality evaluation regarding carer support across these organisations took place throughout the year to ensure that we continue to have a strong focus on approaches that are carer and supported people led. 5.10.4 Facilitating participation, notably with harder to reach groups and those who experience exclusion, continues to be progressed and achieved through making connections, and presenting opportunities. Investment continued around helpful networks, connecting people with shared experiences, identifying issues that are important to carers, supported people and communities and through delivering approaches to improve carer wellbeing. 5.10.5 There continues to be carer representation in governance structures and strategic forums, involvement in improvement areas, consultation, and co- production, with identified actions that further engagement and participation in our day-to-day practice. 5.10.6 Locally we want to ensure that we have the best possible approach to engagement with, and participation of, supported people and unpaid carers. One such approach, currently in development, is the introduction of “carer sounding boards” which will be facilitated by NLCT, but it is anticipated that all
Page 12
12 carer focused organisations locally can play a part in this work. Whilst all caring related roles have a degree of commonality, the variances of, for example, caring for a child with complex additional needs may be very different for caring for a parent living with dementia, or for someone with a physical disability, or enduring mental ill health. As such, we want to be sure that we have the right mechanisms and opportunities for carers to have their views heard, and where necessary, acted upon and carer sounding boards around specific areas of caring, will offer us this opportunity. 5.10.7 Carer Individual Budgets, where applicable, continue to be an option within the carer support toolbox. Most carers who are known to services are supported through the wider carer support infrastructure described in this report. In every situation where a cared for person is in receipt of an individual budget, the unpaid caring situation is also considered, and individual budgets are adjusted accordingly to take account of that. Following the progression of an ACSP, should a Carer Individual Budget be identified as being required, the 4 individual budget options outlined in the Self-Directed Support legislation, are available to carers. Most Carers in receipt of a Carer Individual Budget tend to opt for a Direct Payment. Across the year, there were 52 carers who received a Carer Individual Budget for the first time, with the maximum Carer Budget is £3000 in any one year. In situations where it is evident that the carer is already in crisis, there is discretion to agree a Carer Individual Budget in advance of the ACSP being progressed. 5.10.8 Further revision around the right to carer breaks, including an updated Short Breaks Statement was required, following changes to the proposed implementation of a National Care Service. A revised Short Breaks Statement will be published on the UHSCNL and partner organisation websites in the very near future. Our approach continues to be in line with the wider ethos of supporting and enabling self-help, enablement, and empowerment, so that wherever possible, carers use their own networks to facilitate breaks from caring, rather than rely on statutory services. 5.10.9 As previously reported, North Lanarkshire was a pathfinder area in the national Getting it Right for Everybody (GIRFE) approach, with a specific focus on ageing well and age-related frailty initially. Over the past year GIRFE has become further embedded in day-to-day practice across the adult age range. GIRFE has been largely synonymous with our local Back to Basics approach, with shared key aims of ensuring that people are heard, that if support is needed, that the right support is delivered at the right time and place, and that preventative, pro-active and innovative approaches are required, that no harm is done and that there is no need for people to have to relate their story multiple times. 5.11 NLCT recently undertook specific GIRFE related engagement activity with parent carers specifically, and findings are appended to this report. Ongoing engagement with people with lived experience will lead to further developments in our approach and help inform the type of opportunities and support that people value. Discussions with stakeholders around holding some form of
Page 13
13 parent carer summit, to help identify further approaches to “what might help” are at an early stage, with some form of event envisaged during the remainder of 2025. This is an example of the “carer sounding board” approach mentioned above. 5.12 Earmarked reserves from the allocated funding to support The Carers Act Implementation are noted below: EARMARKED RESERVES Opening Balance as at 1 April 2024 Projected Use Revised Balance as at 28 February 2025 £m £m £m Carers Act Support £2,595,745 £164,226 £2,431,519 These figures cover 01.04.24 to 31.03.25. This is the provisional outturn, but no change to these figures is anticipated. 5.13 Measures of Success Our measures of success have been jointly agreed with carers and care focused organisations, and as we enter Year 2 of the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024-2027, we will continue to engage with carers to ensure that these measures are being achieved, remain relevant and that in any areas across the measures, where more needs to be done, that there will be a focus on doing so. Carers are engaged, included, and represented to the extent they wish to be. Creation of better opportunities for under-represented and seldom heard carers to participate and have their voices heard. Improved opportunities for carers to influence, shape, co-produce and \ or co- design policy, strategy, and services. This goes beyond caring related policy or strategy, as through good design and engagement, the needs of carers and cared for people can be incorporated into wider policy and strategy. Provision of approaches which can be influenced and shaped by the engagement and participation activity set out above. Clear focus on the nine priority areas for action that carers have identified as a priority for them, as set out in the Carer Strategy 2024-2027. A reduction in the number of carers and \ or supported people first presenting whilst already in crisis – to be achieved through the promotion of ACSPs, advance planning, preventative, and/or anticipatory approaches. 6. CONCLUSIONS Our approach to both carer support and meeting the intent of the North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024-2027 continue to be based predominantly on the principles of the
Page 14
14 Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 and Self-Directed Support (Scotland) Act 2013. Self- Directed Support (SDS) continues to be Scotland’s national Social Care policy, promoting a whole system approach that enables people to have more choice and control in their lives. SDS is based on enhancing the principles of participation, dignity, involvement, informed choice, and collaboration. Our aspiration remains unchanged - to offer a sustainable and innovative means to achieve the outcomes that carers, as well as supported people, identify as being important to them, that carers can lead full and meaningful lives, and that people can engage in, participate in, and contribute to the local economy and wider society, should that be their choice. We believe, and carers tell us, that when we get things right, the differences are meaningful, impactful and extremely positive. We must recognise that this is not, by any means, every carer’s experience. On that basis, we still have more to do, but the melding of carer lived experience, business intelligence and professional knowledge sees us on a path were hopefully, every carer can feel respected, valued, listened to, and well supported in their caring role, whatever form of support that may take. 7. IMPLICATIONS 7.1 NATIONAL OUTCOMES Link(s) to National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes Resources are used effectively and efficiently in the provision of Health and Social Care Services ☒ 7.2 ASSOCIATED MEASURE(S) 7.3 FINANCIAL This paper has been reviewed by Finance: Cross referencing with the Tackling Poverty paper to be finalised People are able to look after and improve their own health and wellbeing and live in good health for longer ☒ People, including those with disabilities or long-term conditions, or who are frail, are able to live, as far as reasonable practicable, independently and at home or in a homely setting in their community ☒ People who use Health and Social Care Services have positive experiences of those services, and have dignity respected ☒ Health and Social Care Services are centred on helping to maintain or improve the quality of life of people who use those services ☒ Health and Social Care Services contribute to reducing health inequalities ☒ People who use Health and Social Care Services are safe from harm ☒ People who work in Health and Social Care Services feel engaged with the work they do and are supported to continuously improve the information, support, care and treatment they provide ☒
Page 15
15 Yes No ☐ N/A ☐ Earmarked reserves and directed funding allocated for Carers support will be used to procure and deliver services that continue to support Carers across our communities. 7.4 RISK ASSESSMENT/RISK MANAGEMENT Relevant Risk Register Details Current Risk Level Risk Owner n/a Choose an item. 7.5 ENGAGEMENT & PARTICPATION Please tick the engagement and participation objectives that link(s) with this piece of work and provide further details regarding the engagement and participation that was undertaken. Objectives Further Details ☒ Involve stakeholders in the development work aimed at achieving the national Outcomes Through commissioned carer support organisations and other funded organisations with a carer remit locally. ☒ Provide stakeholders with information on how to get involved Through commissioned carer support organisations and other funded organisations with a carer remit locally ☒ Ensure a diverse range of engagement and participation and opportunities are in place to suit different needs Through commissioned carer support organisations and other funded organisations with a carer remit locally ☒ Measure how well we involve community stakeholders in the planning, design and delivery of our services Through carer participatory self- appraisal. Through commissioned carer support organisations and other funded organisations with a carer remit locally through monitoring and assurance. ☒ Provide regular feedback on how stakeholder engagement and participation is shaping and influencing service development and delivery Through engagement and participation processes with commissioned carer support organisations locally, framework support provider organisations, governance groups.
Page 16
16 ☒ Provide support to enable stakeholder representatives to participate meaningfully and confidently at meetings Through commissioned carer support organisations locally. Through Advocacy Through individual support. Through carer development programmes, such as Recognition to Rights. ☒ Develop participation guidelines to ensure a common understanding and set of expectations for both stakeholders and partnership staff Through the Engagement and Participation Strategy, NLDF, and through co- production with stakeholders. ☒ Support engagement planning and participation in localities, taking account of other engagement activity and local plans across the Community Planning Partnership Through the Engagement and Participation Strategy, NLDF, and through co- production with stakeholders. 7.6 INEQUALITIES & FAIRER SCOTLAND DUTY EQIA Completed & Fairer Scotland Impact Assessment Form Completed and attached to report: Yes No N/A X (Undertaken previously prior to Procurement and launch of Carer Strategy 2024 - 2027) EQIA added to website: Yes / Date added ☐ No N/A ☐ 8 BACKGROUND PAPERS N/A 9 APPENDICES 9.1 North Lanarkshire Carers Strategy 2024-2027 9.2 TBC 9.3 TBC 9.4 TBC
Page 17
17 CHIEF ACCOUNTABLE OFFICER (or Depute) Members seeking further information about any aspect of this report, please contact the following; Maria Williamson, Senior Manager, Quality Assurance, WilliamsonM@northlan.gov.uk