The Nottinghamshire Local Account is the County Council’s Adult Social Care Strategy, which describes what has gone well, as well as areas that need improvement for the people who draw on care and support.
The Local Account sets out the Adult Social Care priorities for 2024 and was developed with the Our Voice Co-production group and staff. It is based on what local people said was important to them during the Big Conversation, which took place in 2023.
Progress against the Local Account priorities has been mapped by identifying where things are going well and areas that would benefit from further improvement. This has led to the development of the Local Account Progress Report.
The progress report sets out developments against the six themes of the Local Account, examines the actions taken, the impact these have had on people, and outlines any actions to be carried out next. It also features stories from people who draw on care and support.
Some highlights from the progress report include:
More people are now going home directly from hospital, with 97% of people supported with hospital discharge care.
Our Technology Enabled Care (TEC) Survey this year showed that 82% of people felt more independent, 69% said TEC made it less likely they would require residential care or be admitted to hospital, and 89% of carers said TEC had reduced anxiety and stress.
During 2023/24, the number of people supported to access further education, employment, or volunteering increased by 48%, from 363 to 756 people.
Our Maximising Independence Service has increased the number of people it is able to support and exceeded its target, supporting over 2,000 people.
Our Housing Commissioning Team has been working with a development partner to create housing for people with disabilities, which will include wheelchair-accessible ground-floor flats, staff quarters, outside space, and parking. We expect the 61 flats to be completed in the summer.
We are preparing to offer free bus and tram travel to young carers under the age of 19. This scheme, initially available until March 2026, will be managed by the Young Carers Notts and Carers Hub services.
Councillor Jonathan Wheeler, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said:
“We know that everyone’s experience of social care is different, and the system can sometimes feel complicated. Our Local Account responded to this and is based on what people told us they wanted, to enable them to find the information and services they need more easily.
“To ensure that the commitments made in the Local Account stay on track, the Local Account Progress Report measures the progress made against the Local Account priorities for 2024.
“I’m pleased that good progress has been made against the priorities, and people who draw on care and support have been able to see the difference. People have told us what has worked better for them. However, we’re not complacent and are working on further areas where things need to change, to give people the best possible experience of using Adult Social Care services.”
One person who has received support from Adult Social Care said:
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for the wonderful support I have received from Veronica and Teresa.
“They have gone above and beyond to help me through a very difficult time in my life. They are, without a doubt, the best your team has to offer.
“They have helped me return to employment, assisted me with my finances, provided me with very useful information regarding education, given me food vouchers, supported me in improving my health, and helped me start the process of moving home. I am extremely grateful to have had their support, and with any luck, I can continue progressing towards financial stability, university, and a career in the healthcare sector.”
Further Big Conversation listening events are being planned for this summer to gather people’s views. The feedback from these events will be used to develop an updated Local Account and set the priorities for 2026.
The Local Account Progress Report can be found on the Council’s website: Adult Social Care Local Account | Nottinghamshire County Council.
