Bracknell

The views and ideas of Bracknell residents, carers and community groups about how social services for older people in Bracknell Forest should modernise and improve over the next five years will be discussed on Tuesday (March, 13) during a meeting of the Executive.

Older people in Bracknell borough were asked to submit ideas on how services should shape up over the next few years during the Growing Older, Making Choices consultation in January - where carers, service providers, and community group representatives were also asked for their input at two public meetings.

The views of older people were also taken into account by telephone interviews and focus group meetings in November and December 2006 while delegates at the Voice of Experience Conference in November were also asked for their opinions.

Suggestions and comments received during the Bracknell consultation included: ensuring older people maintained their independence and were given choices on their support; supporting friendships and a sense of community; giving out better information about what was available; having a single contact number or helpline; valuing carers; and encouraging people to get out and about in the community.

The Executive will consider the responses, which are included in the Commissioning Strategy for Older People's Health and Social Care 2007 to 2012, on Tuesday and will look at approving the strategy.

If it is approved the strategy will be used to guide the modernisation and development of support for older people in the next five years and will become publicly available after it is published - so residents will be able to see what the Council aims to achieve for older people's services in the near future.

Bracknell Council is looking at improving social services for older people by taking on board views from residents - a recommendation put forward by the Commission for Social Care Inspectors (CSCI) in its inspection of social care services for older people report last autumn - so a greater understanding of what services are needed now and in the foreseeable future can be gained.

Ian Davey, Director of Bracknell Social Services and Housing, said: "I'm very grateful to everyone who took part in the Growing Older, Making Choices consultation - all views expressed by residents, community groups, carers and service providers were carefully considered and taken into account when we wrote the commissioning strategy.

"If the strategy is approved by the Executive on Tuesday it will give us a very helpful blueprint for how our services should modernise and develop according to what our residents and community want."

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Bracknell Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, added: "We needed to make sure the support and services we offer older people are really the services they want to be receiving and are not being provided for the sake of meeting some distant policy, which is why we undertook this consultation.

"The ideas put forward are extremely valuable in making sure we meet the needs and expectations of the community. Importantly these ideas will now be used to help shape future care and support services for older people living in the borough."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council