Top health and social care official visits Dudley

A top department of health official visited Dudley to see how the council and partners provide help and support for local people. William Vineall, the deputy director of social care policy and innovation at the department of health, came to Dudley borough recently to look first hand at how Community Catalysts, the council’s partner, have been helping small micro-enterprises to develop and flourish in the borough. Community Catalysts, which began working in the borough in March 2010, work to harness the talents of people and communities to provide high quality small scale and local support services. Micro-businesses that were showcased during the visit were the Oaks Project, based in Cradley Heath which is a creative arts and recycling day centre facility for people with learning disabilities. The visit also went to the INSIGHT Carers Café which is based in Brierley Hill and launched in June this year. The group provides support to Dudley Carers and is currently looking to set up a social enterprise trading arm in order to offer additional services to carers enabling carers to become stronger and to work together as a community. Councillor Lesley Faulkner, cabinet member for adult and community services, said: “We are extremely pleased that Mr Vineall wanted to come to the borough and see the real difference that we and our partners, Community Catalysts, are making to people’s lives. We are determined to transform adult social care and ensure that people have greater choice and control in how and what they choose for their care.” Sian Lockwood, chief executive of Community Catalysts, said: “We aim to make sure that people, wherever they live, have a real choice of great local social care, health services and other community resources. Headings like ‘social care’ ‘health care’, ‘community’ and ‘housing’ broadly describes the areas in which we operate but labels bring their own limitations. “We believe that people and communities usually have the answers to complex social issues and problems. With this in mind we are always willing and able to look for radically imaginative solutions that cross sectors and join up dots in an unconventional way. We are extremely proud to be working with Dudley Council in helping local people to access care services that they need and want.” Lorna Reid, the micro-services co-ordinator, who is employed by Community Catalysts on behalf of the council, is currently working with a number of small groups, organisations and businesses that are offering, or are looking to offer, a whole range of innovative and flexible solutions for individuals requiring social care.