Changes to care

Last year the council carried out a consultation on changes to adult social care services.

Our proposals included the possibility of:

• Raising the threshold at which people are entitled to social care services.
• Asking people who can afford it to pay more towards their care.
• Offering day care for physically frail older people on fewer sites.
• Ending the day service for younger adults with physical disabilities at 42 Westbourne Park Road.

Many people made their views, concerns and suggestions known on the proposals, through events and questionnaires. We would like to thank all of those people who took part in the consultation. Westminster’s Cabinet Members have considered these views and have made the following decisions:

• The level at which those who are eligible to receive services funded by adult social care will change. Only people whose needs and risks are assessed as ‘substantial’ or ‘critical’ within the nationally set levels will continue to receive these services. Those no longer entitled to this care will be offered an improved range of preventative services and information on other support available.
• Those who can afford to will be asked to contribute towards the cost of their care – we estimate that only just over 10% of people will be asked to contribute more towards their care as a result of this decision.
• Sherbourne House day centre will be closed, but day care for physically frail older people will continue at Elgin and Pullen Centres, with improvements made.
• Day services for adults younger than 65 with physical disabilities will end at 42 Westbourne Park Road (The Princess Diana Centre). Investigation will be carried out on this site to make suggestions for its future use. The potential options include its use as a Health and Social Care Dementia Resource Centre, a general community centre with a particular emphasis on disability, or re-development or sale of the site.

A copy of the Cabinet Member report 'Response to Consultation on Adult Social Care Spending Reduction Proposals' is available here.

What happens next?

We will be re-assessing all of those people who are currently considered below the ‘substantial’ and ‘critical’ levels of need, to make sure they are in the correct category. This will begin immediately and will be done as quickly as possible to reduce uncertainties.

All individuals who are reassessed and have services withdrawn from them will be contacted 6 months later to ensure they are coping and to offer any support or re-assessment if necessary. All those who are affected by these decisions will be contacted; again this may not be immediately but as and when their needs are being assessed and their budgets are due to be calculated.

People whose needs or financial situation change significantly should always draw this to the attention of the council and are entitled to re-assessment.

What to do if you think you might be affected

Those affected do not need to take any action as we will contact everyone directly; however we appreciate that this may be a difficult or confusing time for some people, so if you have any questions please call 020 7641 1175.