As part of the broader Department of Social Care (DSC) Adult Services Rebalancing Programme and the recent public consultation on the second 5 year Learning Disability Strategy 2013 – 2018, the Department of Social Care is announcing a change in the organisation of residential care for adults with a learning disability.
The DSC currently provides residential and respite care in 21 community homes across the Island. However, in order to grow and develop this area the Department needs to consider a wider variety of opportunities which includes the commissioning and outsourcing of some of its current provision. The process of outsourcing will begin next year with the commissioning of services in Ramsey, where the Department currently operates two community homes; one of which is already outsourced to a third sector partner, and the other, Ingledene, is currently provided by the Department of Social Care.
As part of its preparation of an adult social care commissioning plan, the externalising of such services will represent a change in how traditional Residential Services for adults with a learning disability have been delivered. However, the Department remains committed to communicating and engaging with staff and service users to ensure it continues to deliver high quality services within the parameters of it finite resources.
This is in the context of developing and improving current in house provision with plans to redevelop some services including those currently provided at Radcliffe Villas, together with further investment in supported living. The Minister for Social Care Hon Chris Robertshaw MHK said: “I am pleased that my Department is continuing to improve our services and in doing so, developing a mixed economy of service provision. It is important that we consider more efficient methods of service delivery and the fusion of community homes in Ramsey under one single provider is a logical next step.”
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