Cabinet reviews Health and Social Care Winter Plan

Plans to support the health and social care sector through the pressures expected this winter are being put to Norfolk County Council's Cabinet.

The Integrated Winter Plan, which covers the increased demand on health and social care from seasonal illnesses and cold weather, lays out what pressures can be expected and how the Council will be supporting services through the winter months.

Cllr Alison Thomas, Norfolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services, said: "Winter is always a time of increased calls on our health and social care sectors, and everyone who works in these areas knows just how demanding the season can be. By preparing for the winter, and making the proper investments in reablement and support for individuals and providers, we're making sure that Norfolk is well placed to meet those demands and provide the care and support our residents need over the coming months."

The County Council will be prioritising supporting people who have been ill through their recovery, helping them return home from hospital or intermediate care, and supporting people to live independent, healthy lives.

One returning measure that has made a big impact in the past is the County Council and Community Healthcare run Hospital Discharge hubs: dedicated teams identifying the care people need to have in place to safely leave hospital and putting that care in place. Thanks to the work of these hubs, 11,000 people were able to safely leave hospital in winter 2022/23, and the working will continue across winter 2023/24.

The plan is supported by the wide-ranging investment that Norfolk County Council is already making in adult social care, including:

• £1.2m investment in staffing the Hospital Discharge hubs
• £1.14m for additional re-abling capacity
• £800,000 for incentive payments for home care providers to support people out of intermediate care
• Uplifting care provider rates by £30m in 2023/24, which will support sustainability over winter
• Investment of £200,000 in step-down Housing with Care Flats that supported people out of community hospitals last winter

Alongside the successes the council and its partners have had in providing health and social care this year, including reducing the county's social care holding lists - those waiting for full packages of support to be assigned - by circa 1,000 since last winter, these plans will ensure everyone in Norfolk can access the care they need over the coming months.

Cabinet will consider the report when it meets at 10am on Monday 6 November. Watch the meeting, live or afterwards and read the reports.