As you will have seen from the reply from Councillor Mackenzie, I am following up to respond to the points youmade in your email to Councillor Mackenzie on 3rd
September 2024.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Better Living Centre served as a drop-in facility and appointment-basedservice for equipment-related needs. However, attendance was low. During the pandemic and beyond, theCentre was repurposed but continues to play a crucial role in supporting disabled individuals, families, and carers. The Centre still offers Occupational Therapy Clinics by appointment, providing demonstrations andfunctional assessments for equipment like stairlifts, specialised seating, and bathing aids. Karen Murphy wascorrect that the Centre remains open to the public—the primary change was the removal of the rarely-used drop-in service. We are also in the process of repurposing additional space within the Better Living Centre to ensure itis used to its full potential.
In terms of your point relating to the Carers Trust meeting, the Carers Trust collaborated with the Council todevelop the Carers Strategy, which was discussed at several Carers Trust events, including the annual CarersRights Day, and underwent public engagement. As part of this strategy, we’ve made significant improvements:enhancing carers' direct payments to better meet needs, increasing investment in Carers Trust support,improving information and advice via our website and leaflets, introducing new respite options (both in carehomes and at-home), and updating social work practice guidance to ensure effective communication.Additionally, we appointed a Carers Lead Officer, who has been in post for 12 months, focusing on improvingcarers' direct payments, updating practice guidance, and developing Carers Champions within our teams.
Our commitment to reaching and involving as many carers as possible remains strong. That’s why we’rerefreshing the Strategy and launching a new Carers Forum. If you’d like to join the forum and help us continueimproving carers' services, please click this link:
Get Involved | Your Voice Solihull (engagementhq.com)
complete the form, and we will be in touch.
September 2024.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Better Living Centre served as a drop-in facility and appointment-basedservice for equipment-related needs. However, attendance was low. During the pandemic and beyond, theCentre was repurposed but continues to play a crucial role in supporting disabled individuals, families, and carers. The Centre still offers Occupational Therapy Clinics by appointment, providing demonstrations andfunctional assessments for equipment like stairlifts, specialised seating, and bathing aids. Karen Murphy wascorrect that the Centre remains open to the public—the primary change was the removal of the rarely-used drop-in service. We are also in the process of repurposing additional space within the Better Living Centre to ensure itis used to its full potential.
In terms of your point relating to the Carers Trust meeting, the Carers Trust collaborated with the Council todevelop the Carers Strategy, which was discussed at several Carers Trust events, including the annual CarersRights Day, and underwent public engagement. As part of this strategy, we’ve made significant improvements:enhancing carers' direct payments to better meet needs, increasing investment in Carers Trust support,improving information and advice via our website and leaflets, introducing new respite options (both in carehomes and at-home), and updating social work practice guidance to ensure effective communication.Additionally, we appointed a Carers Lead Officer, who has been in post for 12 months, focusing on improvingcarers' direct payments, updating practice guidance, and developing Carers Champions within our teams.
Our commitment to reaching and involving as many carers as possible remains strong. That’s why we’rerefreshing the Strategy and launching a new Carers Forum. If you’d like to join the forum and help us continueimproving carers' services, please click this link:
Get Involved | Your Voice Solihull (engagementhq.com)
complete the form, and we will be in touch.
CONFIDENTIAL – ADDRESSEE ONLY
Mr M and Mrs L Brooks obo Katie and Hayley Brooks
ADULT CARE AND SUPPORT DIRECTORATE
Council House Manor Square Solihull
B91 3QS
Tel: 0121 704 8296
Email: [email protected] www.solihull.gov.uk
Ref no: ASC/0149 16th March 2021
Dear Mr and Mrs Brooks
Re: Your Adults Social Care Statutory Complaint
As you know, I have been investigating the complaint which you confirmed to the Council on 14th
January 2021
Since receiving your complaint I have:
• reviewed Hayley and Katie’s electronic social care records and the supporting documentation you
have provided,
• arranged meetings with the following individuals:
- Paula Koustas (All Age Disability Team Manager),
- Emily Pinto (Social Care Facilitator) and Abdul Assad (Direct Payments Team Manager),
• contacted Sue Austin (Senior Accountant - Adult Social Care Payments and Billing Team) and
• received a written response from Bob Outram (Income Team Leader).
I have now completed the relevant enquiries and am in a position to respond to the concerns you
have raised.
I think it would be helpful to address each of the aspects of your complaint and desired outcomes
in turn, in order to ensure that each is properly addressed.
Background
For the better part of twenty years, you have independently managed Katie and Hayley's (your
daughters) care needs. The only contact you have had with Social Services is the annual review. You
have no recollection of a Social Worker (other than occupational therapists meeting Katie and
Hayley) for something like the past eight years, or indeed them taking any interest in the disabled
conversion or the equipment it houses.