Council Invites Comments on Draft Strategy
The Highland Council has promised to consult fully with residents, their families, staff and stakeholders on the detail of plans to build and operate new care homes in Tain, Muir of Ord, Inverness, Grantown and Fort William and to keep them fully informed of progress as the programme proceeds.
A draft consultation and communication strategy was presented to the Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee on Wednesday 19 September and interested parties are now being asked for their comments to inform the preparation of a final strategy.
The provision of the new care homes is a key element of the Programme for Administration, which sets out the Council’s priorities for action over the next four years and includes a number of other initiatives relating to services for older people. These include:
a) delivering more sheltered housing units;
b) increasing the number of older people supported in their own homes;
c) delivering additional investment in aids and adaptations (Telecare);
d) delivering additional home care; and
e) increased joint working with the NHS.
All of these initiatives together form the Council’s Modernising Services for Older People strategy, and it is on all of these issues that the Council wishes to fully consult and communicate.
The Council will also develop a meaningful and realistic approach to consultation which adopts the national standards of community engagement.
Councillor Margaret Davidson, Chairman of the Housing and Social Work Committee, said: “There is a real commitment on the Council’s part to engage with stakeholders and communities on the Modernising Services for Older People agenda, beginning with delivering the 5 new care homes. All of these activities involve an ambitious and exciting agenda and this strategy sets out how we will consult and the standards we will adhere to”.
The deadline for comments on the draft Consultation and Communication Strategy is 19 October 2007. A consultation response pro-forma and details of the return address, are available via the following web link