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National Efficiency Events, Autumn 2008


Speaking at the first of two national efficiency events in September 2008, David Behan, DH Director General, Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships, underlined the importance of the efficiency agenda in delivering sustainable transformation, now highlighted by a difficult economic climate which shifted efficiency ‘centre stage’.

A key note speaker at the national efficiency event in Leeds, David (pictured left) set the scene for the transformation of social care where simply keeping pace with population changes will see up to 1.7m additional people needing access to care and support services in 2020.  Increases in people’s expectations will drive change even harder.

The strategy for addressing change is two-fold – transformation set out in Putting People First, and the Government’s commitment to the upcoming Green Paper on the reform of care and support.  Emphasising the importance of the public debate, David urged care professionals to take a lead role in helping their local communities to explore the issues and seek consensus.

Held in Leeds and London, the two efficiency events were developed and hosted by CSED and attracted over 120 senior local authority social care professionals at each venue.  Morning plenary sessions and an afternoon housing seminar ran alongside an extensive exhibition of efficiency solutions manned by councils, Third Sector organisations and CSED team members. 

In addition to key note presentations from David Behan and John Bolton, DH Strategic Finance Director, speakers included directors of adult social services, senior PCTs leads and Deputy Regional Directors from across the country, each sharing their experiences and successes in local efficiency programmes.

John Bolton (pictured right) picked up on the challenges facing social care, the need to innovate and improve and to find ways of shaping services that deliver for people now and in the future, all in today’s challenging economic climate.  Underlining the need for planning and a commissioning approach that will achieve the right results in the longer term, John pointed to the growing body of evidence that early intervention, and a prevention agenda can achieve better outcomes for people, and more efficiently.     

John cited one of CSED’s early successes as its contribution to the development of re-ablement programmes, and the building of a body of evidence that demonstrated the significant benefits to be gained.  Other developments now include support related housing, the use of assistive technology and crisis response services, better care pathway planning involving collaboration across health and social care, as well as progress on transforming community equipment services. 

Emerging from a growing partnership between councils and CSED over last three years, David and John both pointed to the wide range of efficiency solutions that were now available for other councils to adapt and use in their own particular circumstances, supported by the increasing role of regions in assisting local implementation.  Going forward, there will be an even greater need to share efficiency ideas and best practice, to transfer knowledge and experience and work together to really make efficiency part of every day services.

Thanks go to all our speakers, partners and participants, too numerous to mention, for their involvement and for their continuing support and collaboration.  This website features an initial range of presentations and handouts from the events.  We will be updating and adding to these over the coming weeks, including additional video clips from both Leeds and London.

Previous News Items

August 2008 - CSED's Changing Remit

April 2008 - Note from Richard Allman, Programme Director

March 2008 - New Senior Responsible Officer for CSED

November 2007 - National Events

 

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Last updated: 17 Oct 08