This blog to provides weekly updates on the Residential Services consultation which started on December 1st 2011 and will close 29th February 2012. You can find out more about the consultation and read related documents on our consultation finder database.

This week we have been meeting with staff, residents and families at:

• Hayleigh a residential home in Bedminster
• Maesknoll a residential home in Hengrove
• We also held an open meeting at The Council House

Comments and issues raised this week include:

• What would happen if a private home closed and the council had no capacity to provide an alternative?
• Can people move with their friends or out of Bristol to be closer to relatives?
• Extra Care Housing is a possible alternative but this is not suitable for the many residents that have high levels of need.
•  Many comments about a higher level of training, and a caring and positive ethos in council run homes. It is this rather than the built environment that is the most important factor for many people.

Tell us what you think.  Fill out the questionnaire online.

We have received 149 questionnaires about residential services so far.

Equalities Meetings

In response to feedback and as part of our consultation we want to make sure we involve people from equalities groups.  We have therefore arranged 3 events to look at specific areas.

• Tuesday 7th Feb 2012  18:00 – 20:00  Council House College Green – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Groups

• Monday 13th February 2012  18:00 – 20:00  Council House College Green – Older and Disabled Community Groups

• Wednesday 15th February 2012  15:00 – 17:00  Council House College Green – Black Minority Ethnic Community Groups

If you wish to discuss any aspects of this invitation or confirm attendance please contact us using the consultation phone line 0117 352 1456 or e-mail
residential.consultation@bristol.gov.uk

This blog provides weekly updates on the consultation on Day Opportunities  in Bristol for people with learning difficulties, older people and people with physical and sensory impairment. The consultation started on December 1st 2011 and closes on February 29th 2012.  You can find out more about the consultation and read related documents on our consultation finder database.

Over the past week we have met with staff, service users and carers at:

• Bristol 600 Day Centre in the south of the city
• St George and Lawrence Link Day Centres in the east of the city
• We also held an open meeting at council house.

Comments and issues raised this week include:

• Day services provide an important support for carers, giving them time to themselves knowing that their loved one is safe.
• People need somewhere to go to meet up and plan days, somewhere to go when it is raining or they just want time out.
• How can we provide more employment opportunities for younger people with learning difficulties?
• Younger people may want to access activities in the community, but frail older people want a ‘place’ to go to where they can integrate with familiar friendly people

Tell us what you think.  Fill out the questionnaire online.

We have received 257 questionnaires about day opportunities so far.

Equalities Meetings

In response to feedback and as part of our consultation we want to make sure we involve people from equalities groups.  We have therefore arranged 3 events to look at specific areas.

• Tuesday 7th Feb 2012   18:00 – 20:00  Council House College Green  -  Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Groups
• Monday 13th February 2012   18:00 – 20:00 Council House College Green  -   Older and Disabled Community Groups
• Wednesday 15th February 2012   15:00 – 17:00  Council House College Green -   Black Minority Ethnic Community Groups

If you wish to discuss any aspects of this invitation or confirm attendance please contact us using the consultation phone line 0117 352 1456 or e-mail
dayservices.consultation@bristol.gov.uk

 We will be using this blog to provide weekly updates on the Residential Services consultation which started on December 1^st 2011 and will close 29th February 2012. You can find out more about the consultation and read related documents on our consultation finder database.

Bristol has around 140 residential care homes, 11 of these are run by Bristol City Council. Our residential care homes for older people were reviewed in 2008 with recommendations to close all council-run services and replace them with a smaller number of resource centres and specialist dementia units. Work on this plan was put on hold in 2010 due to falling property prices and rising staff costs.

This consultation looks again at how services can be improved by developing alternatives to long-term residential care and making best use of all care homes in the city, including the independent sector.

We are asking for the views of residents, their families, friends and staff on the future of residential services in Bristol. This will help us decide how we can continue to improve services within the difficult financial environment that now exists.

Residential Services Consultation information leaflet

Have you filled out our residential services consultation questionnaire?

We are speaking directly to residents, their families, groups and organisations representing older people, staff and trade unions to find out their views at a series of meetings over the next few weeks.

Residential Services Consultation Timetable of events

This week we have been meeting with staff, residents and families at:

• Coombe – a residential home in the North of the city specialising in the care of people with dementia.
• Greville – a residential home in the South of the city specialising in the care of people with dementia.

Comments and issues raised this week include:

• Concerns about people living in the community being isolated. Residential homes provide opportunities to make friends and socialise.
• Concerns about negative press reports on independent sector care homes and a lack of trust in monitoring and inspections.
• A comment that the quality of care in a residential home is more important than the physical environment.

We will keep you updated on the outcomes of the meetings on this page.

Please respond to the consultation using the questionnaire.

If you have comments or questions about the information in the weekly updates, please join the discussion.

We will be using this blog to provide weekly updates on the consultation on Day Opportunities  in Bristol for people with learning difficulties, older people and people with physical and sensory impairment. The consultation started on December 1^st 2011 and closes on February 29^th 2012.  You can find out more about the consultation and read related documents on our consultation finder database.

Our current day services are highly valued – but are large day centres a model of care that people will want to buy in the future – when more people can exercise choice and control over how their personal budget is spent? Our in-house day centres are currently operating at an average of 70% capacity. There are also a significant number of services already provided in the community. We need to make sure that day opportunities provide value for money and are as effective at meeting people’s needs as possible.

We are asking service users, their families, friends, independent sector providers and staff who work in day services for their views on the future of day opportunities in Bristol. We want to know what kind of opportunities people want in the future and what their priorities are.

Day Opportunities consultation leaflet

Have you filled out our Day Opportunities  consultation questionnaire?

We are now holding a series of meetings with service users, their families and staff to gather their views and opinions.

This week we are meeting with:

• Service users and carers at The Peer Support Service Quaker Central Meeting House.
• Staff at Bristol 600, Lockleaze/Eastville and St George Day Centres.

Full details of forthcoming events are listed in the Day Services Consultation Timetable of Events.

We will keep you updated on the outcomes of the meetings on this page.

Please respond to the consultation using the questionnaire .

If you have comments or questions about the information in the weekly updates, please join the discussion.