Bracknell

One of the most respected and influential figures in social care made an unofficial visit to Bracknell Forest to see what support, advice and care services the Council is offering to its residents this month.

Dame Denise Platt, Chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), was invited to see what the Bracknell Council’s Social Services department provides to residents benefiting from care and support services on Thursday, October 11.

Chatting to staff and residents at Bracknell Heathlands day centre and residential home and finding out what innovative services are offered by the Council’s dementia team - including home support and the sleep over service- were just some of the highlights Dame Denise, her colleague Olu Olasode, Commissioner at CSCI and Robert Khan, Parliamentary and Public Affairs Manager, observed during the morning

They also heard how the learning disabilities team was offering modernised services to promote independence; help people with disabilities get employment through a national recruitment specialist; and access mainstream leisure and art activities.

A mouth watering lunch served up by the Indian Community Association highlighted to Dame Denise how Bracknell Council is working with Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups in the borough and gave her the chance to ask Social Services staff how BME groups have helped influence future plans for care services.

After meeting with Cllr Paul Bettision, Leader of the Council, Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing and Cllr Anne Shillcock, Leader of the Labour Group, Dame Denise met with staff at the highly acclaimed Bridgewell Centre in Birch Hill where she spoke to people who had used or were using the intermediate care services on offer.

After the tour of some of the services on offer she fed back to senior managers at Bracknell Council on what was working well, how she saw the service modernising and how improvements could be made.

Ian Davey, Director of Social Services and Housing, said: I’m pleased Dame Denise Platt was able to visit the adult social care services we have on offer in Bracknell Forest.

Her observations were extremely useful and have provided us with further ideas on how to continue to build on what services we already offer.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council