Changes to the Third Sector Broker Service for Powys

Changes to the Third Sector Broker Service for Powys

Background

For the last three years PAVO has been providing an independent Third Sector Broker service in Powys operating out of ‘Powys People Direct’ (Powys County Council’s single point of access contact service for individuals needing support from social services). 

The Third Sector Broker Service handles referrals or requests from Powys County Council (PCC) and Powys teaching Health Board (PtHB) to obtain support from Third Sector organisations for people who may be in need of services such as befriending, shopping, advocacy, home adaptation, community transport, or support with specific health related concerns such as Dementia.

Additionally, the Third Sector Broker service participates in local GP surgeries, brokering access to Third Sector support for frail/elderly patients across the whole of Powys as part of the health board’s ‘Virtual Wards’ service model.

Since it was established the number of referrals into the Broker Service have risen exponentially and continue to increase; coming from social services, health board, Third Sector organisations, GP surgeries and also people self-referring to ’Powys People Direct’. This growth in referrals partly reflects a growing awareness and confidence in Third Sector services by public sector staff; a confidence which the Broker Service has helped to develop through its work.

Besides helping individuals gain access to crucial Third Sector services, the Broker Service is also progressively identifying areas of unmet need or gaps in service provision; evidence which is used to help inform the planning of public sector service commissioners and Third Sector service providers.

What is Changing?

Both PtHB and PCC Social Services are currently moving more towards community based services, provided by integrated health and social care teams based in local communities, along with multi-disciplinary teams based in community hospitals or other settings.

This process is already underway and will continue to develop further during 2017 and beyond, as the local authority and health board seek to strengthen their approach towards early intervention and the prevention of individuals’ circumstances deteriorating to a point where they need higher level services.

As a result of these developments PAVO has been asked by PCC and PtHB to restructure and extend the existing Third Sector Broker Service, so that it also operates within the new community based teams. This means that as well as continuing to provide coverage in ‘Powys People Direct’, from January 2017 the Service will begin to be based within community based teams in a number of Powys community areas:

·         Brecon

·         Knighton/Presteigne

·         Llanidloes

·         Llandrindod Wells/Rhayader

·         Machynlleth

·         Newtown

·         Welshpool

·         Ystradgynlais

The name of the Service will also change and be called Community Health and Well-Being Coordination and PAVO’s Third Sector Broker roles will be re-titled Community Health and Wellbeing Coordinators (CHWCs).

The Service will continue to operate as before, working directly with Powys’ Third Sector, including local community support organisations, local community/service groups, Powys-wide organisations and national organisations servicing Powys, to help individuals in need of support access the Third Sector services they need. The CHWCs will also continue to represent the Third Sector within multi-disciplinary discussions with Health and Social Care professionals, Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings in local areas including Virtual Wards, Hospital MDT’s, Integrated Health and Social Care Teams, and GP Surgery teams.

It is not the role of the CHWCs to set up or deliver new services. However, in situations where there are no opportunities or services to meet the needs of individuals referred to the Service, the CHWCs will then work with others locally, particularly Third Sector and community organisations, to help those organisations access the support they might need to extend or develop the individual support arrangements or services needed.

Aside from its primary role in helping individuals in need of support to access what they need, PAVO believes that the Community Health and Well-Being Coordination Service will also strengthen the position of community groups and voluntary organisations in Powys by:

·         Identifying and sharing evidence of service demands, unmet needs and service gaps to help Third Sector organisations strengthen and develop their services and activities, as well as to help inform public sector funding and service commissioning decisions;

·         Helping public sector organisations to work better with local Third Sector organisations and services to meet the needs of your community and individual citizens;

·         Continuing grow the public sector’s understanding of the work and value of the Third Sector and their confidence in it, and;

·         Helping your organisation or group access the information, contacts and support you might need to develop or strengthen your services.

How to find out more

If you have any queries about the changes to the Service please feel free to contact us: Peter Lathbury on 01597 822191 or peter.lathbury@pavo.org.uk and Freda Lacey on 01597 822 191 or freda.lacey@pavo.org.uk

For more information about PAVO’s Third Sector Broker Service see: http://tinyurl.com/hrxve59 or contact: 01597 828649 or broker@pavo.org.uk

For more information about Powys People Direct see: http://tinyurl.com/j4d7jmj or contact the service on 01597 827666.