Commissioning of supported living care services to be improved to promote choice

The way Staffordshire County Council commissions care services that support people with a range of disabilities and health conditions to live independently in the community, will be changed to ensure they get the best possible quality of care.

Supported living is where adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, autism, and mental health conditions live in their own accommodation with care and support provided to enable daily living and maintain independence.

Currently, there are 121 supported living schemes in Staffordshire, with 474 residents supported by Staffordshire County Council.

Under new commissioning plans put before the County Council’s Cabinet, services will be recommissioned with a view to strengthen quality and offer more choice.

This comes after people in supported living arrangements across the county were spoken to about their needs and wishes, as well as care providers and other stakeholders.

The new approach will also ensure that care and support providers have more opportunities to be innovative, work together and explore different technologies to ensure they can meet all the needs of Staffordshire residents.

County Councillor Julia Jessel, Cabinet Member for Health and Care said: “Supported Living services provide people with disabilities and mental health conditions the support they need to be as independent as they wish.

“These proposed new arrangements will help the 474 people we support with physical and learning disabilities, autism and mental health conditions get the care they need, but also give them the opportunities to live as independently as they wish. It will also mean that services are fit for the future, with more capacity to help those with complex needs, and will be able to embrace new technologies to improve the lives of those in supported living arrangements and help them to thrive.”