Agenda item

This report presents Medway Council’s refreshed Adult Social Care Strategy 2025-2028. Developed in response to increasing demand, rising complexity of need, and financial pressures, the strategy sets out a clear goal and mission to help people live safely, stay independent, and be treated with dignity and respect. It is shaped by extensive consultation and aligns with statutory duties and wider system priorities. The strategy outlines five strategic commitments and a phased delivery plan, supported by the Adult Social Care Transformation and Improvement Programme. It will guide future commissioning, investment, and service development, ensuring Adult Social Care remains responsive, inclusive, and sustainable.

Discussion:

The Assistant Director, Adult Social Care introduced the report which provided a refreshed strategy for the Board’s consideration. Emphasis was made of the level of engagement that had been undertaken in developing the strategy, which had also been developed to align with the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, so they did not operate in silo. One of the challenges for the service was to become more proactive and less reactive, which would be a significant role of the MIST.

Members then raised a number of questions and comments, which included:

• Budget – reference was made to the ASC allocation in the proposed 2026/27 budget and whether that would be sufficient. In response the Assistant Director explained that the budget had been developed in the context of demographic growth and increases in demand. Work was ongoing with partners to improve prevention and reablement services as this was a priority for all across the system.
• Rise in supported living costs – in terms of the increases in costs to provide supported living it was explained that the service was working with individuals with more complex needs, some needing 2:1 or 3:1 care support.  These were individuals who historically may have been placed into an institution that was not a suitable environment for them. Being in the community allowed them to thrive but they may require significant support to be able to manage this. As a result, nationally, ASC was picking up more health costs within the system than previously.
• CQC improvement plan priorities – in response to a question about how actions were being prioritised officers confirmed that the areas with the lowest score had been prioritised but that work across the whole plan was ongoing. There were short-term, medium-term and long-term actions and the service reported to CQC on its progress on a quarterly basis.
• Neighbourhood Health – officers confirmed that ASC was a key part of neighbourhood health planning and would assist in the whole system working together on prevention.
• Infrastructure for over 65s – in response to a question about what was being done to ensure provision was available to meet the physical needs of the growing population of older people, the Assistant Director, Adult Social Care confirmed that the service worked closely with the Planning Department to request for accessible housing to be part of larger developments and this was a continuing focus.
• Future proofing – the point was made that the strategy was not only to cover the needs of people now but also to prepare for the needs of people in the future and a key element of preparedness was to start conversations early and to put preventative measures in to help avoid or delay the need for more intense and expensive support. The service was working with the Communications Team to develop an ASC Guide to raise awareness of the support that was available, not just through the local authority but other facilities and services available.

Decision:

The Board noted the contents of the refreshed Adult Social Care Strategy and requested a report back in approximately 12 months to review progress.