Councillors have approved a three-year plan to improve health outcomes, reduce inequalities and support residents to live healthy, safe and independent lives.
The new strategy, which was approved by the Council’s Adults and Health committee at a meeting today (Thursday 9 October), is built around the Council’s seven strategic ambitions. It particularly focuses on reducing health inequalities and enabling people to live independent, fulfilling lives.
The strategy is based on six key ‘ASPIRE’ ambitions:
- Improving access: better information, advice, and support tailored to people’s needs. Managing the demand for assessments and improving access to support or accommodation.
- Focus on safety: stronger safeguarding, reduction of inappropriate referrals through training, safer transitions between services, and supporting people to remain at home with the use of technology-enabled care.
- Increase place-based support: delivering services closer to communities, improving demand-forecasting and strengthening partnerships.
- Be innovative: embracing the use of digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, using best practice to improve services and efficiency. Promoting a ‘technology-enabled care first’ approach.
- Reduce inequalities: improving outcomes for communities with poorer health, using a ‘public health’ approach, learning from lived experiences and using ‘trauma-informed’ ways of working.
- Provide enhanced carer support: strengthening support for unpaid carers through the ‘All-Age Carers Strategy’ and improving the identification and support of carers.
The strategy was shaped through engagement with residents, carers, providers, partners and staff, through surveys and workshops, with over 300 people taking part.
Feedback on accessibility, prevention, choice, and early intervention has been reflected in the strategy, and each area will have a clear delivery plan linked to outcomes and evidence. The new strategy is aligned with the recent Care Quality Commission assessment of the Council’s Adult Social Care services where the Council was rated as ‘Good’, alongside the Council’s medium-term financial plan.
An evaluation framework will track progress using performance data, financial information, and feedback from people and carers, supported by nationally recognised “Making it Real” statements to measure impact. These are a set of statements that describe what good care and support looks like, developed with people who draw on care and support.
Cllr Graham Wilson, Chair of the Adults and Health Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said:
“This strategy is about delivering the right support in the right place and time for our residents.
“Its strength lies in the fact that it has been shaped by people who use our services and that it’s been built around clear and measurable outcomes.
“Our goal is to deliver real and lasting change, to help people across Cambridgeshire live healthier, safer and more independent lives, and this will help us achieve that goal.”
The new Adults, Health and Commissioning Strategy will shape the way services are delivered over the next three years, ensuring support is targeted where it’s needed most. It underpins the Council’s commitment to creating a fairer and more caring Cambridgeshire, and helping people across the county to thrive.
