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Achieving a Sustainable Financial Future
for Bristol City Council’s Social Services
(Children’s Services and Adult Social Care)Brian ParrottIndependent Social Services ConsultantMarch 2005
 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Summary of Key Recommendations......................................................................................3AConsultancy Purpose and Approach..............................................................................5
1Preface............................................................................................................................52My Brief............................................................................................................................53Timescales.......................................................................................................................64Outcomes........................................................................................................................75People Who Have Assisted My Work..............................................................................8
BUnderstanding the Financial Situation............................................................................9
1Background......................................................................................................................92The National Context.....................................................................................................103Risk Assessment...........................................................................................................104Action Required.............................................................................................................11
CPolicy Options and Ideas For The Future......................................................................12
1Strategic Direction.........................................................................................................122Commissioning..............................................................................................................153Where This Approach May Lead...................................................................................184Action Required.............................................................................................................19
DSpecific Services.............................................................................................................22
1Overview........................................................................................................................222Older People and Disabled Adults.................................................................................223Learning Disabilities and Mental Health.........................................................................244Children’s Services........................................................................................................25
ELeadership, Management and Partnerships – Fit for the Future.................................27
1Overview within the City Council:...................................................................................272Issues for the City Council:............................................................................................293External Partners...........................................................................................................304Within Social Services:..................................................................................................315Financial Management and Cash Limited Budgets........................................................32
FConclusion.......................................................................................................................34
1Sustaining Change – How to Ensure It Happens...........................................................34
GReferences.......................................................................................................................38
 
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Summary of Key Recommendations
Most Importantly:
There must be a visible unity of purpose between leading Elected Members and Senior Officers of Bristol City Council to make fundamental changes to Social Services and the waythe City Council operates corporately. There must be no ambiguity about who is responsiblefor ensuring that the changes are made and the timescale for implementation. Changes mustbe made in leadership approach, behaviour, relationships, services and finance.
Key Recommendations:
My recommendations to the City Council are clearly set out in the report. The key ones arethat:1.You should recognise the many positive achievements in Social Services over recentyears and not let the current media spotlight create an unbalanced picture.2.You must implement urgently the Action Plan deriving from the work of Neil Haddockand the Review of Financial Management 2004/05.3.You must actively manage, throughout 2005/06, the considerable risks acknowledged inthe Social Services budget at the time it was set in March 2005. You must establish athree year financial framework 2005 – 2008 linked to your strategic direction and toservice delivery plans.4.You must agree and publish, at the earliest possible date, clear Bristol City Councilstrategic direction and priorities for Social Services. These must be combined with astrong commissioning-led approach to all services. It should assume that the Councilwill provide cost effective services through its in-house services and also have aproactive market development approach to working with independent sector providers.5.You must make fundamental changes to many services and the ways they are delivered – modernising, integrating with others, ceasing, reviewing, externalising and developingalternatives. These should be in accord with "Every Child Matters”and thegovernment’s Green Paper on Adult Social Care “Independence, Well-being andChoice”and subject to proper processes of consultation.
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