Agenda item

The Committee will receive a presentation from the Information and Advice Project Manager.

The Committee received a presentation on the new Information and Advice Service for Adult Social Care, from the Transformations Project Manager.  It was explained that whilst there was a lot of information on the services and advice available to customers, this was not always easily available.

Research was carried out on existing good practices elsewhere on what “good” information and advice looked like.  Reviews of recent local consultation with voluntary sector organisations and focus group were carried out and assessed across all sectors in Havering.  The five key themes which came out of this were:

• Partnership working – a newly commissioned single service across provider organisations with a sustainable service structure.

• Easy Access – phone, website, physical premises supported by outreach where information needs are assessed at first contract.

• Face-to-face delivery – “shop type” premises in Romford with regular programme of face to face delivery around the borough.

• Branding and marketing – need to reflect thatit is a voluntary sector organisation independent of but supported by the Council.

• Good customer services – trained staff, robust performance management procedures to effectively measure the impact of service

The new Care Point shop was “soft” launched at 36 High Street, Romford on 31 January 2012, together with the new website (www.haveringcarepoint.org).  The official launch would be around Easter 2012.  The Committee met with the Care Point Manager who explained the types of enquiries and needs of the customers they had assisted since the shop had opened.  The shop was in an accessible location, was purpose built, included three interview rooms, and internet café, with access to online information, a Changing Places toilet facility, telephone and email service, and was open on Thursday evening and Saturday morning.

The new service would deliver outreach services across the borough.  The demand for this would be tested through the enquiries made at the shop.  The outreach would be two-hour sessions every fortnight at difference locations across the borough.

The signposting consortium had emerged from HULO, with the lead organisations being Age Concern Havering, Citizens Advice Bureau and Crossroad Care Havering.  Enquiries from other local and national organisation about joining the consortium had been received.  The initial period of 14 months, ending in April 2013 were grant funded, however a tender of four years would make the service more financially viable across the life of the service.

The Committee noted that the Care Point shop was an advice and signposting service.  They did not offer solutions to problems, but had advice and information about organisations that can assist.  The service was about giving clients an informed choice about the options available to them.  Care Point would contact all clients to get feedback on if the services/ advice received was helpful.

Members raised concerns that the strap line for Care Point was “Independent information and advice for adults”, and asked if there would be a similar service for children and youths.  Officers stated that there were the family services, but agreed that there may be a possibility of the two services coming together in the future.

Officer stated that they hoped the referrals from Care Point to the voluntary sector organisations would be beneficial to them, and may in the future encourage others to become part of Care Point.

The Committee thanked officers for their presentation and asked that an update be given to the Committee in 6 months time, once the official launch had been done.