Shropshire Council takes on social work group

The council has agreed to become the sole shareholder for People2people, a community interest company which provides all the county's community social work and occupational therapy services for older people and those with disabilities.

It means the authority will now be able to award a contract to the company for its services and will be able to have more say in its development and growth.

The company was one of seven Department of Health pilots designed to test the contracting out of statutory adult social work from councils to independent organisations.

Councillor Lee Chapman, cabinet member for adult services, said: "People2people is recognised locally and nationally as innovative and an exemplar of good practice in adult social care among local authorities and other relevant adult social care bodies across the UK.

"The challenges facing adult social care are huge, but the work People2people has done is astounding.

"They have been at the frontline of contributing to the £17 million of the £25 million of savings in adult social care.

"Their model of delivering frontline social work practice has proved extremely successful, not only in developing a robust social work practice model but also as an intrinsic part of the transformation of adult social services.

"We now want to build on its success by supporting its development by establishing a robust and longer term arrangement for the delivery of social work provision building upon people2people's experience."

Councillors at Shropshire Council's cabinet meeting yesterday spoke about the move and Councillor Chapman said it would make what is currently a temporary arrangement permanent.

Leaders hope the move will help it to grow and join up with other services.

Councillor Chapman said: "People2people practitioners are enjoying greater professional freedom, stronger partnerships with people receiving support and increased morale and this will continue."

"The new arrangements do not affect the way people access people2people and those people using the service should not see any difference at all in the level and quality of service.

"This is basically an arrangement to formalise what is already being done."