What Matters To You: new adult social care strategy for East Sussex

‘What Matters To You: care, support and independence for adults in East Sussex’ is the brand new adult social care strategy for the county.

The title reflects the approach taken to developing the strategy: asking people who need care and support, their carers and families, what was important to them.

Mark Stainton, Director of Adult Social Care in East Sussex, said: “We wanted this plan to be driven by what people told us were their priorities, rather than what professionals might think people need.”

Around 700 local people responded to surveys or came along to focus groups and interviews to share their opinions.

Using this feedback, and with the help of East Sussex County Council’s Citizens’ Panel, six priorities were agreed. They are:

1. Right support, right place, right time
2. Information and communication about care and support
3. Cost of living and cost of care, now and in the future
4. A suitable home
5. Personal connections with others
6. Group activities, hobbies and volunteering

Adult Social Care & Health staff, the NHS, district and borough councils, the private sector, and voluntary, community and social enterprise sector were all involved in working on the strategy.

Now the next step is to build an action plan based around the 15 ‘we will’ statements that set out the strategic response to the six priorities in ‘What Matters To You’.

For more information

• Read ‘What Matters To You’, please visit: www.eastsussex.gov.uk/ASCstrategy
• Watch a film about ‘What Matters To You’: www.eastsussex.gov.uk/asc-strategy-film
• For a paper copy or alternative formats, please email: ASCPersonalisation@eastsussex.gov.uk
• Phone: 01273 481565
• Write:  Adult Social Care strategy, FREEPOST, ESCC, Public Health, County Hall, Lewes BN7 1UE