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Inspections
2007 Audit Commission Inspection
Supporting People Scheme Reviews
Supporting People Scheme Reviews of all 23 sheltered and extra-care schemes were undertaken in 2005. The outcome was as follows:
Core Objective
Rating
Needs and Risk Assessment
C
Support Planning
C
Security, Health and Safety
B
Protection from abuse
B
Complaints Handling
A
Fair access, diversity and inclusion
A
From discussions with other providers and Scheme Review Officers we believe these to be one of the highest review outcomes achieved in Essex.
We have identified three key issues to ensure the Sheltered Service delivers excellence. They are:
1. Improving Risk Assessment and Support Planning – In response to this we undertook a major review of the needs/risk assessment and support planning processes. These changes have been implemented although we continue to look for opportunities to further improve the process.
2. Meeting the challenge of delivering more flexible sheltered support services – We have had initial discussions with Essex Supporting People about delivering sheltered support services in a different way in the future. This would remove the necessity to live in a sheltered scheme to receive sheltered support services.
3. Improving Value for Money - Unfortunately the current measure of VFM by Essex SP only measures price as a guide to VFM. Clearly from this there is no comparison of service quality. We have previously fed back to Essex SP our concerns at this situation. We have offered to work with them on identifying a better way of measuring value for money.
2004 Inspection by the Audit Commission
In 2004 we had an inspection undertaken by the Audit Commmission with the outcome meaning £13.5 million of government funding was awarded to Colchester Borough Council's ALMO (arms length management organisation) to improve council homes throughout the borough.
The funding has been released on the strength of a glowing report from the Audit Commission which carried out an in-depth two-week inspection.
During the inspection, the Audit Commission found Colchester Borough Homes (the ALMO) and the council's housing team to be providing a 2* service with "promising improvement prospects" - this is a real improvement on its previous 1* rating.
Please see attached press releases.
