Gateway to Care Single Point of Access - Kirklees Council
Project description
Gateway to Care Single Point of Access is an information and advice service provided by Kirklees Council. It aims to provide Kirklees citizens access to the social care and health services and information they need to remain independent and safe in a cost effective and efficient way. Contact with the service can be via telephone, email, web or in person; there are two Council customer service centres in Dewsbury and Huddersfield. This integrated service started in 2012, building on a social care access service that had been in operation.
The service can respond to a wide range of enquiries which includes access to health and social care services including traditional and prevention, family information, access to equipment and concerns around safeguarding, deprivation of liberty, asylum and domestic violence. It can arrange onward referral for social care assessment, eligibility screening and referral for extra-care housing and the provision of assistive technology. It is also the centre for reporting hate crime. Housing and accommodation options can also be discussed, for example helping people to explore alternatives to traditional residential care.
The service receives electronic hospital discharge summaries which can activate district nursing support and referral to Intermediate Care. It is the point of referral for the Accessible Homes Team and a contact point for Shopmobility. Another activity is the development of information, for example, on direct payments as well as factsheets which help people to make informed decisions.
Contact details for Gateway to Care Single Point of Access are promoted through local media, on leaflets and other local outlets.
Who is the service for?
The service is for people with a social care need including self funders, those with or at risk of a long term condition, people with a sensory impairment, families, carers and vulnerable people.
Intended outcomes
The service sits within Kirklees Council Wellbeing and Integration. Its function is to create an easy access route for citizens of Kirklees requiring information or onward referral for social care and some primary health care services.
Why is the service being developed?
People with a social care need often face barriers in accessing services that should be available to all. All people should be able to access services, information and opportunities that meet their needs.
Where people who use services and carers and other key stakeholders involved in setting up this service?
In the initial stages, voluntary and community sector organisations were consulted. Links with the local community health care provider were established to embed the intermediate care and district nurse referral service. Feedback from partnership boards, the Shopmobility Steering Group, the Gateway Leadership Group and Readers Panels was also considered.
Has the service met the intended outcomes?
Around 200,000 people contact Single Point of Access with either a health or social care concern every year. A further 200,000 alerts are taken via telecare equipment by Carephones Service who provide an out-of-hours response.
Do you have information on costs or savings?
We have built on service arrangements that were already in existence creating efficiency savings especially where electronic referral methods are being developed. A tangible cost saving was made where travel costs for the District Nursing services were greatly reduced with direct tasking to nurses in the community, reducing the need for them to return to base after each intervention.
What were the learning points in setting up this service?
There has been positive feedback from users and commissioners.
Having access to patient, and social care records helps us to provide quality referrals and to help meet outcomes for citizens of Kirklees.
Contact details
David Macdonald, Pathway and Portfolio Manager, Kirklees Council
Email: david.macdonald@kirklees.gov.uk
Phone: 01484 221000