More intermediate care needed to promote service user independence

A leading adult social care director yesterday called for a big increase in intermediate care services to meet the government’s objectives of promoting independence and choice for service users.

Anne Williams vice-president elect of the Association of Directors of Social Services, said capacity needed to increase to enable people coming out of hospital to regain independence and deal with the responsibilities of managing direct payments, should they want them.

Williams told a National Homecare Council conference in London that home care needed to be more focused on re-equipping people for independent living, adding: “We are focused on doing things for people rather than helping them gain skills.”

The Department of Health’s Care Services Efficiency Delivery team told how home care can “re-able” people so they avoid future care needs, making savings for councils.

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