Conversations Matter - council seeks views on future of Adult Social Care

A summer of conversation is taking place in Norfolk, as the County Council asks people from across communities about the future of Adult Social Care.

Entitled Conversations Matter, Norfolk County Council is holding a wide-ranging engagement programme, asking people to shape its future priorities for Adult Social Care.

Adult Social Care covers a wide range of activities to enable people to live independently, stay well and safe. Under the banner Promoting Independence, the council wants to support people to be independent, well and able to deal with life's challenges.

With an ageing population, people living longer with ill health, and proposed national reforms to social care in 2025, the council wants to make sure it has the right priorities to plan for the next three to five years.

Cllr Alison Thomas, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Norfolk County Council, said: "It's great news that people are living longer. We want to help them to live as happily, healthily and independently as possible.

"In Norfolk we have a changing and growing population, so we have to plan for our services to be long-lasting and financially stable. We have more people needing our help and we need to make sure we have the right plans in places so that we can support them in the right way.

"To help us plan, we'd like as many people as possible to take part in our Conversations Matter programme. You might not use our services now, but you or your loved ones might need some support from social care in the future, so we're really keen to hear from you. We also want to hear from people that have used our services in the past. The information we collect will help us shape our priorities for the next three to five years."

Residents from across the county can get involved by filling in an online survey, picking up a hard copy of a survey in a library (large print and easy read versions also available), or taking part in a drop in session at once of six libraries across the county.

Conversations Matter runs until Friday, 1 September and the council is asking people for their views on three key themes:

• Prevention and early help - how the council helps people stay well and independent in their home.
• Being and staying, independent - how the council provides timely, effective support for people to develop independent living skills, avoid losing independence, and, where possible, gain it back.
• Living with complex needs - how the council recognises that some people need a long-term, high level of support with many aspects of their daily life.

Find details of the drop-in sessions and how groups can hold their own conversation.