Supporting People in Plymouth - further information

• How are local needs determined?
• Information for service users - how to get involved
• Quality Standards
• Quality Assessment Framework

How are local needs determined?

Service users, and potential service users are consulted in a variety of different ways about what services they think should be provided. Information is gathered from organisations in the city, including forums such as the Disability Action network and the Older Persons Community & Voluntary network, about things like demand for services, unmet needs, and development priorities. This information is used by the authority and partner agencies, such as social care, housing, health and Probation to decide how and where monies should be spent.

If you have views about what housing related support services are needed, and want to get involved in future consultations, then please contact the Supporting People team.

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Information for service users - how to get involved

Supporting People uses a variety of different ways to consult with service users and potential service users about what they feel is needed, and what services should be prioritised.

We encourage service users to become part of the future planning for their services by getting their feedback while reviewing services. We hold focus groups so service users can have a meaningful contribution to how their services are shaped for the future.

Please contact the team on if you would like to hear more, or if you would like to take part in future consultations.

Alternatively, you can contact Plymouth LINk. The purpose of Plymouth LINk is to find out:

• What people like and don’t like about the health and social care services they use
• What new health and social care services people need
• What people think about plans for new services and how they should look

The LINk then works with the people who plan and run health and social care services to help them improve services for the people who use them.

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Quality Standards

All services are required to meet minimum quality standards.

Minimum standards are assessed when the organisation applies to deliver services on behalf of the Council. Policies and processes are reviewed regularly as part of contract management.

The Council looks at the following to ensure that organisations are suitable providers to enter into a contract with:

• financially viability
• quality management
• employment policies that cover staff development, staff supervision and the health and safety of both staff and service users
• health and safety policies and procedures
• policies and processes relating to equalities and diversity
• safeguarding policies and procedures
• have sufficiently robust management procedures
• are able to demonstrate a track record or competence to deliver services

The Team uses the Communities and Local Government Quality Assessment Framework as a benchmark to assess organisations and is available from the Sitra website. Supporting People contracts require all organisations meet the minimum the standards.

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Quality Assessment Framework (QAF)

The Quality Assessment Framework is a clear and consistent framework for assessing the quality of services. As well as providing a baseline for minimum standards, the Quality Assessment Framework is used by local authorities and service providers as a tool for continuous improvement.

The Quality Assessment Framework can be downloaded from the Sitra website.

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