Presentation from Trish Reed, DFG Review Project Lead, Cambridgeshire CC

1. DFG Champions Roadshow
Work on developing local
relationships
Trish Reed, DFG Review Project Lead
Cambridgeshire County Council

2. Drivers for the
Cambridgeshire Review
Care Act 2014
CCC Transforming Lives Agenda
Funding via Better Care Fund and
significant uplift in capital £
Strategic Approach to adaptations
Aligning outcomes and priorities
Promoting innovation

3. Partners to the Review
5 District Councils
Cambridge City Council
South Cambs DC
Fenland DC
Huntingdonshire DC
East Cambs DC
Other partners
Cambridgeshire &
Peterborough Clinical
Commissioning Group
Cambs County Council
HIAs
Occupational Therapy
service

4. Partnership track record
Existing close working in a number of areas
Cambridgeshire sub-regional Housing Board
Sub-regional Choice Based Lettings system
and policy (across districts)
Sub-regional Housing co-ordinator and
numerous working groups
New BCF links with Health / ASC colleagues
OT service integrated with Health
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5. Disabled Facilities Grant Review 2016
Focussed on three key areas establishing sub-
groups for each:
Opportunities for early intervention / prevention
Current Home Improvement Agency model and
the time taken to deliver adaptations
Making best use of capital and revenue funding
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6. Adaptations delivery
Three Home Improvement Agencies in
Cambridgeshire
1. Cambs HIA - Shared service across 3
districts
2. East Cambs Care & Repair (in-house)
3. Fenland DC - HIA service delivered by a
Norfolk Council

7. Is it always right to adapt?
‘Help people remain living independently at
home’
Current pathway is to:
Carry out assessment of needs – OT (8 weeks)
Refer for housing adaptations to meet that need
Adapt the home – HIA (8 months)
Meets the need…eventually
But……..for how long?
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9. Key Finding 1
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‘New services are needed that consider
peoples needs in context, including early
conversations and planning for the longer
term’

10. What is needed?
Up front conversation about moving
Information and advice
Support to consider options
Change in culture towards informed
personal planning for old age.
County best placed to deliver new
service

11. ‘Existing services will need to adapt to
support a growing population’
Key finding 2

12. Existing HIAs
Increasing need:
 Growing older population
 More complex child adaptations
Time taken too long
Need value for money
Fast track simple adaptations
Flexible use of DFG Capital

13. Key Finding 3
‘Funding arrangements across the system
will need to change to support a shift in
focus’

14. Capital & Revenue
considerations
Increased capital (£1.9m to £3.4m)
BCF Guidance – options, relocation, etc.
County top-up grants/loans
Use of capital for revenue services?
Taper revenue to HIAs and County re-
invests its revenue in prevention, options
advice, etc.

15. Developed a Joint Adaptations
Agreement across partners – principles
Commitment to a joint RRO Policy
Are we planning for specialist housing
need in Local Plans?
Are Lettings & Allocations policies
supporting best use of existing adapted
homes?
Policy considerations

16. So what next?
Reviewing Adult Early Help options
Developing Joint RRO Policy
HIAs looking to improve performance
including fast tracking
Review of Older Peoples visiting support
Consulting on role of housing specialist
posts

17. 2017/18 Partnership Plans
Better Care Fund Plan to include Joint
Adaptations Agreement
Pilot Early help offer in one district
Engage with stakeholders and service
users on new pathways for children and
adults

18. Outcome focus
People of all ages living independently for
much longer in a more suitable home.

19. Questions?

20. Contact details
Trish Reed
Cambridgeshire County Council
Email: trish.reed@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Tel: 07979 868676
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