Day Care pressure mounts

At our Parish Council meeting on 12th April, Councillors noted with dismay Age Concern's proposals to end its involvement in the Tuesday Lunch Club at Thornton House and I was instructed to write to you expressing the Parish Council's strongest disapproval.

We understand that 15 or so very elderly residents regularly enjoy the lunch, appreciating a rare opportunity to spend a few hours socialising with people of a similar age. These people are in danger of further isolation if they are deprived of local opportunities to interact with groups of friends and neighbours. In addition, Thornton House is an appropriate and convenient location for the meetings – especially as transport and personal care must be carefully co-ordinated to allow for the frailty of attendees.

Age Concern's stated charitable objects are to promote the relief of elderly people in any manner which may be deemed by law to be charitable in and around the county of Cheshire. We hope that your organisation will continue to provide its valued and very suitable service to Audlem residents in Audlem village.

I am writing on behalf of the Audlem Medical Practice Patient Participation Group (PPG) following its consideration of your proposed closure of Audlem Day Care provision at its meeting last Thursday.

It was agreed that we should write to ask yourselves and your Board of Trustees to consider the following key points as well as to express our strong opposition to the proposals and to the very short time which you have allowed for consultation.

You need to know that the health needs, as well as the social care needs, of the people who attend the day care are of great concern to the PPG which includes our local GPs who have a number of the service users as their patients and they have asked for the support of the PPG in raising these concerns. We also have the benefit of an experienced social care professional on the Group. Our key points are as follows:

1 Attendance at day care is a vital part of people's social care support needs and, as such, contributes to their health, well-being and independence. You must be aware that there are a significant number of service users who have a degree of frailty and, as such, also receive other elements of a domiciliary support from Social Services. Their attendance at day care is, therefore, a vital part of their care package and should not be changed except via a reassessment by Social Services of their individual needs.

2 We are aware that your funding from Cheshire East has been reduced, but as you are providing a social care service on their behalf, we would assume that you have been advised by the local authority as to how to provide services into the future. We would urge you to ensure that Social Services are fully involved with the proposed major change to the style of service and that they ensure that all service users needs are reassessed before any proposed changes are considered.

To proceed without this vital statutory process taking place would leave both the local authority and, indeed, yourselves open to legal challenge under the Community Care Act. This Act also lays a legal requirement on local authorities to take account of health needs of individuals as part of social care assessment. This appears not to have been done.

3 We understand the Government policy on Personalisation and the provision of individual services based on choice. But this does not preclude people choosing to attend group type activities, not least because of the vital social interaction and stimulation that this provides. It is also more cost effective to provide some services in this way. It seems very doubtful that the proposed individual trips out with the help of volunteers would provide the same level of activity and support for so many people.

It may well be that if the present service users were to apply for a personal budget from social services, they would choose to fund their continued attendance at day care provision.

4 Any significant change of service of the nature you are proposed needs to be the subject of a proper period of consultation which fully takes account of equality issues. We would ask if you have undertaken the necessary Equality Impact Assessment on what you are proposing both in terms of its impact on services users and how you are undertaking consultation with individuals, all of whom have differing needs. Not to do this would again lay yourselves open to legal challenge under the relevant equality legislation.

5 Finally, you need to be aware that the development and provision of the present day service has a long history in Audlem from lunchclub, to tea club, to the present Age Concern provision – all reliant on the commitment and vision of local volunteers.

It is also a key element of the current Parish Plan that day care provision for older people is maintained and extended. Given this, we consider it vital that you consult with village representatives to look at the impact your proposals would have and to explore options for strengthening not diminishing future provision.

We, as local representatives of the Medical Practice as well as members of the Audlem Parish Plan Health and Social Inclusion Group, would therefore like to meet with you before any unfortunate and precipitate decisions are taken on this vital local service.

We urge you to consider these key points carefully and to defer any final decisions on the future of Audlem's Day Care at your Trustees meeting later this week and to consider arranging a meeting with local village representatives as requested.

We look forward to confirmation that you are considering this representation and to your response

Yours sincerely