Northern Housing Consortium Conference May 2012

Adopting a customer focused approach

Lynn Collingbourne Sheila Mackintosh

Mackintosh O’Connor Associates Research and consultancy

Changing demand 1 • Increasing numbers of people with disabilities:

– 30% of all UK households headed by someone 60+ and this set to increase – 1983-2008 numbers of people in the UK aged 85+ more than doubled. By 2033 the number will double again to reach 3.2 million. – 2 million people with sight problems in the UK – 0.8 million disabled children under the age of 16 in the UK - 1 child in 20. Rising numbers of severely disabled children surviving infancy. 99% of disabled children live at home supported by their families.

• Concentration in social renting /greatest numbers in owner occupation: – 42% of social rented sector tenants have a long term illness or disability – Families with disabled children more likely to be in social housing – Older people with an illness or disability 26% (0.8 million) in social housing,

but the majority (2.1 million) are owner occupiers.

• Urban/rural issues: – By 2029 the 65+ population in rural areas will increase by 36% compared to

only 23% in urban areas

Changing demand 2

• Rising expectations

• Personalisation/personal budgets/right to control

• Staying put versus moving?

Is service delivery keeping pace?

• Reductions in public funding: – Private Sector Renewal (£300 million 2010/11 - zero

2011/12) – Supporting People (cuts of between 5% - 40%) – Handypersons funding (50% cut 2010/11- 2014/15)

• BRE estimate - that DFG funding is only 10% of the amount required to meet need

• DoH funding - small amount for DFG 2011/12, but delivered late in year and not long term

• RSLs - resources constrained – many RSLs not committed to adaptations

• Service delivery pathways - often slow, complex, not joined up

The social model of disability?

Examples of housing ‘barriers’ • Physical – home design features • Information – non-accessible formats • Attitude – professional assessment of

need, prescribed solutions • Institutional – lack of time to consider

advertised properties, standard solutions

Complex pathways the norm

Central call centre

OT assessment

Grants Dept / HIA

Survey

Test of resources

Grant approval

Landlord’s consent if reqd

Passed to contractor

Work carried out

Final inspection

Initial referral via self / GP / hospital / relative etc

Adult / Children’s Social Care

Private Sector Housing / Home Improvement Agency

• Focus on systems not people • Fragmented service • Poor coordination • Protracted timescales • System and process based

inefficiencies • Lack of choice • Treatment not prevention • Little attempt to find unmet

need

What people want • Comprehensive, accessible information about

solutions to the barriers • Help to understand and evaluate the options • Ability to see and try solutions • Help to assess how they might resolve personal

needs • Quick and appropriate service once preferred option

chosen

A visit to the new Dorset CIL

The concept

The ‘structure’

Customer adviser-

facilitator

The healthy living zone The aids and

adaptations zone

The safety zone

The transport

zone

The leisure and

connections zone

The financial and benefits

zone

The meeting room and

consultation room

The skills training and education

zone

The guest agency’s

zone

The café and hire a café bar zone

An impression of how the entrance can be modified to create the front of the house. Behind the door will be a kitchen, bedroom, and lounge area. The door can provide a range of experiential learning opportunities.

The main corridor, there is an opportunity to create a street scene here where information can be displayed through shop windows, and a interactive walkway created to provide experiential training in using aids and adaptations for mobility

Outside, there is a garden area which as well as being aesthetically pleasing lends itself ideally for Gardening aids and adaptations, how to enjoy the countryside, active outdoor living etc. Note the perimeter is a mix of decking and paving and can be adjusted to create a mobility, wheelchair training and assessment area

The Knowlsey Model

CIL Services

Centre for Independent

Living

Sensory Impairment

Community Loan Store Integrated

Adaptations Team Equipment

Showroom

Wheelchair Services

Home Improvement

Agency

Children’s Services

3rd Sector Age Concern

Princess Royal Carers Trust

Advocacy Hub Older Peoples

Voice

User Led Organisation

Getting the message out…

https://vimeo.com/41341525

A new centre for Bristol

Lessons • Meeting the needs of people with disabilities

not just about major adaptations – DFGs are the tip of the iceberg

• Need for multi agency working and planning

• Inclusive approach vital – including needs of those not entitled to financial support

Barriers to change • Defence - positional power, continued employment,

budgetary control and professional barriers

• Inertia - ossified systems, procedures and people

• Pressure - unable to resource – people and money, day job difficult enough

• Issue invisible - or relegated by corporate priorities

BUT change is coming……..

Launch of new range

Includu Designed to make life easier

for everyone

Lynn Collingbourne 07825 828668

lynn.collingbourne@thcp.org

Sheila Mackintosh 07920-260616

sheila@mackintoshoconnor.co.uk