Your experience of adult social care services
Adult social care covers a wide range of activities that help people who are older or living with disability or physical or mental illness to live independently and stay well and safe.
63 people from across Sussex shared their views with us.
We heard:
- 74% receive support from a friend or family member as an unpaid carer.
- 48.6% would know, 34.3% don’t know and 17.1% wouldn’t know where to find information about self funding care options.
- 31.7% are currently receiving social care support and 14.3% are currently waiting for a care assessment or for care and support to begin.
- Just under 6 out of 10 respondents felt their social care services met their needs.
Respondents to our poll told us they would like to see:
Easier access for advice on social care
“Easier access to advice re social care. Difficult to find appropriate contact numbers.”
“A single point of contact for the whole system that helps you're and the families navigate the system.”
“I would like to be able to access my social work team in the evening and weekends like my care provider.”
“Yes when one has been referred to social care a letter of acknowledgement would be nice as one only has the GP's word that one has been made and the wait to hear is so long you begin to wonder if they hope you no longer need help, because you’re not around anymore to bother anyone.”
Improved waiting times for social care
"Waiting times too long. Had a carers assessment and they told me it takes a long time to get things in place. Up to 3 months on average.”
“Long delay in accessing support for daughter”
"Assessments being carried out correctly and in good time.”
More affordable cost of using social care
"More affordable fit for purpose.”
“I had no alternative than pay for my own care, I get nothing from the state by way of help.”
“Reduced contributions, for adults with learning disabilities who live at home, parents of these adults do 24 hour care.. We cannot work as we are caring 24/7... and the benefits money is taken away from them to contribute to the day centre which they attend.”
“She has had to fund carers, she has had no support outside, no visit from a social worker.”
Downloads
Please download the following document for the full report.
What next?
We discussed the findings from our poll with the Adult Social Care team at Brighton and Hove City Council in January.
In terms of 'Easier access for advice on social care', the Council has:
- Developed an online ‘Self-Service’ Adult Social Care Hub to make it easier for people to find information and advice about support options.
- Reviewed and developed council web pages on Adult Social Care to improve customer experience and give key information at the earliest stage.
- Reviewed phone lines and pathways to help direct customers to the right service area at the first available opportunity.
- Continued to fund the Carers Hub, giving unpaid carers a single point of contact for information, advice and support.
- Set up an Easy Read Hub on the council website to make information more easily accessible for people with Learning Difficulties.
- Added British Sign Language resources to our website to support those who have hearing loss to access information about our services.
You can
Ask at your local library for help to access resources and the internet, plus information about local events.
Find out about your local library
Get support to develop your basic digital skills, and find out where you can get online for free
Go to www.carershub.co.uk or call 01273 977000 (Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm) Get support to improve your health and wellbeing
or call 01273 294589
Get support to improve your health and wellbeing or call 01273 294589
Get support and information to age well or call 0808 175 3234
Find out more about the Social Care services we provide
Contact Access Point for the full range of care options available on 01273 295555 or email AccessPoint@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Access Together Co Social Prescribing service or call 01273 775888
View accessible information on the council website Easy Read Hub pages
In terms of 'More affordable cost of using social care':
