To approve a new joint carers strategy for Herefordshire and agree consequent commissioning intentions for carers and procurement arrangements for commissioned services.

Carers have long been identified as a priority population group by the council and its partners. They represent approximately 16.5% of Herefordshire’s population according to the 2011 Health and Wellbeing Survey and they play a pivotal role in the local health and care economy.  Some carers may require support to enable them to achieve their aspirations and continue in their caring role. The most recent carers strategy expired in 2015. Current contracted support services for carers will end in March 2018, so that newly configured services must be commissioned to begin in April 2018; a process which will start very shortly. The council has committed to involving carers directly in the design of new services. These new services should reflect the priorities in the strategy, which therefore should be published prior to the start of the procurement process.

The option to not have a carers strategy. This option is not recommended since Herefordshire has published such a strategy until now and this is accepted as good practice nationally. Carers are a significant population group who are themselves vulnerable and support the most vulnerable people in society. Carers have contact with a very wide range of services and are vulnerable to economic, social and health risk factors. The issues facing carers are complex and require a whole system approach.

The option to extend and continue the most recent carers strategy. This option is not recommended  because there have been many changes in the wider context for carers in recent years. These include a new legislative framework provided by the Care Act 2014, the Children and Families Act 2014 and other legislation and guidance. In addition there have been changes in local social care provision and significant reductions in available resources. These changes have led to greatly increased focus on information and signposting, mutual support and self help, along with access to universal services.

Delay finalisation of the strategy until after the forthcoming national carers strategy has been published. This option is not recommended because the timetable for publication of the national strategy has been repeatedly delayed. The original intention was that the Herefordshire strategy would be developed in the light of the national strategy, but its repeated delays have already caused issues for the local strategy. There is no firm timetable for publication of the national strategy.