Cheshire West and Chester Council sets out plans for a Cheshire West Social Care Commission

Cheshire West and Chester Council is establishing a Cheshire West Social Care Commission that will set out its plans for social care and ensure the borough’s views and needs are recognised at the national level.

The Commission will be cross-party, chaired and led by Councillor Val Armstrong, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, and will support the development of adult social care services in the borough. The objective will be to shape future services so that residents can be supported in achieving their aspirations for a healthy and happy life in a place they call home, playing a part in their family and community as much as they wish. The Commission will focus on areas where the council has influence.

The cross-party Commission will aim to:

• Gain an understanding of what adult social care is and the challenges which will be faced in the provision of social care in Cheshire West.
• Identify key lines of enquiry.
• Explore the impact and learning around the lived experience of service users, patients, relatives and carers.
• Consider how the council can develop models of care which support people to live a good life, as independently as possible.
• Consider the values and principles which underpin our approach and services.
• Learn from innovation and evidence for effective care and support services focussing on hospital discharge, enhanced community provision, mental health and learning disabilities.
• Consider ways in which these service developments can be supported and strengthened, including:
  • Workforce
  • Opportunities for in-house service delivery
  • Ethical procurement and commissioning
  • Integrated working with health partners
  • Partnership working with the community and voluntary sector
• Make recommendations on the direction of travel for support and care services and ways of supporting this.Recommendations will be presented to Cabinet.

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “Even before the Covid pandemic, adult social care services were under pressure.  With demographic changes, a fragile provider market and budget pressures, planning for adult social care services is getting more challenging by the year. We know that social care has played an important role in keeping residents safe in very difficult circumstances during Covid and we need to learn from this experience. 

"People are changing their expectations about the services they receive. Our Commission will look at ways to ensure that people needing support to live a good life can do so as well and independently as possible. We will be holding a public evidence session and will ensure there is a strong view from Cheshire West on national policy development.”