Request to revise indicators rejected

The government has rejected calls from councils to allow them to revise a number of much-criticised home care performance indicators.

The Department of Health said councils would have to continue to report on all indicators in its performance assessment framework, despite receiving “several” requests for flexibility to be introduced.

Councils have long-criticised indicator C28, which measures the number of households receiving intensive home care, saying this forces councils to focus on acute, rather than preventive, services.

Indicator C32, on helping older people to live at home, has also been  criticised for ignoring the contribution of services such as extra care or sheltered housing in keeping people out of residential care.

The DH said councils were free to set up their own indicators in addition those under the performance assessment framework.

Councils requested the freedoms to help them pursue local area agreement targets. Last week, the Department for Communities and Local Government published other government departments’ responses to council requests for “enabling measures” for LAAs.

● From http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1504727