Responsible Service

Adult Health and Social Care

What is the policy/strategy/function/trying to do/achieve?

Following a review of engagement and participation in Health and Social Care in 2022, recommendations included an increase in investment in this area.

 A procurement process was subsequently undertaken - seeking a  provider organisation to facilitate  the engagement  and active participation of supported people across Health and Social Care - to ensure that supported people have the opportunity to be involved, or represented in, decisions that impact on their lives and communities.

There will be an Active Participation and Coordination remit, hosted by one lead organisation, which will:

• Administer funds.
• Become the central point for the partnership to route engagement and participation activity.
• Strengthen feedback to the partnership.
• Provide representation across key forums.
• Co-chair relevant forums/working groups.
• Further and better engagement and participation in health and social care

If this is a budget saving, how will this be achieved?

The Procurement Exercise reflects an increased investment in this area of work through a realignment of existing resources that proposes to reinvest the current funding that supports engagement and participation and augments this from the Self-Directed Support (SDS) Transformational Programme budget.

If this policy is subject to the FSD, what does it suggest about the impact or potential impact on socio-economic disadvantage? (please refer to FSD Interim Guidance).

Supported people often experience social and economic disadvantage and face multiple barriers accessing opportunities on an equitable basis. The approach will seek to address the barriers to engagement and participation and involve supported people, as individuals, and collectively, in decisions that affect their wellbeing.

Often, supported people have lost their livelihood due to the reason that they are in need of support. Similarly, those who are in a caring role do not have the same opportunities to engage in employment that they may have experienced previously. Care groups include those experiencing frailty and long-term conditions, learning disability, mental health and addictions and carers. For these care groups it is more likely that people are in low-income employment and /or dependent on benefits.

Additional costs associated with long term conditions are not always met through the finances or income of individuals. Connecting with community networks, services, and supports can assist in alleviating such pressures. The service aims to support such connections. This includes the likelihood of people accessing the benefits of income maximisation.

The investment will increase the opportunity for those voices to be heard and influence development and decisions.

We are aware that there are groups who experience inequality and deprivation that we need to work harder to reach and include such as global ethnic minority groups. A targeted approach will be included in the developed service specification and contract monitoring.

Give details of the impact it has on groups and individuals:

Organisations across North Lanarkshire who currently work to engage and give a voice to supported people.

Supported people and unpaid carers. By supported people we include:

• People are supported in some way by Health and Social Care.
• People who have previously been supported or may be in the future.
• People who are supported in their communities through natural supports.
• Members of the public.

Community and voluntary sector groups and organisations that deliver preventative programme of work services and supports in North Lanarkshire and engage directly with supported people and unpaid carers.

What actions/measures will be put in place or are planned to mitigate any adverse impact or promote equality?

The purpose of the realignment of investment in this service is to increase the capacity and broaden the reach to engage with the diverse communities across NL. There are established organisations and networks that we seek to further develop through this investment.

The full EQIA covers each protected characteristic separately and we are aware that many of our supported people experience discrimination and inequality stemming from several of the protected characteristics. The person-centred approach that has been part of Health and Social care for many years and the developing Getting It Right For Everyone (GIRFE) approach ensures that  we focus on each individual and their particular circumstances, experiences, and strengths. It is from this starting point that we work with them to identify supports.

What is the result/recommendations of the EqIA?

The primary focus of this realigned investment is to broaden our reach and to ensure that those who are underrepresented in our engagement and participation mechanisms and supports are included. Through inclusive approaches, voices are sought and heard,  experiences in relation to inequalities are expressed and these influence change to impact positively on inequality.

All procurement arrangements ensure that there are appropriate policies in place to demonstrate commitments to inclusion and impacting positively on inequality.

The service specification will be developed to include outcomes and outputs to ensure the considerations outlined in this EQIA are taken forward. This will also be incorporated into the monitoring framework.

Through our strategic planning arrangements there is regular collection of data and review of our strategic needs assessment to ensure that we can respond to changes.

The active engagement and participation of supported people as a result of this investment will have a significant role in influencing change, positively impacting on the experience and impact of inequality by informing ongoing and future planning of adult health and social care services and supports.

Outcome:

There is recognition that there are no negative implications identified through the EqIA.