Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Appendix 3: Strategic Audit and Strategic Structures.
In this report we will

Outline the whole systems approach

Consider the implications of whole systems working for strategic
structures

Describe the methodology used in the strategic audit

Outline the findings of the strategic audit

Examine the existing strategic structures

Make recommendations in respect of strategic structures
The whole systems approach
The proportion of older people in the population is increasing as life
expectancy grows. However currently healthy life expectancy is not growing at
the same rate as life expectancy. If no action is taken to change this there will
be an increasing number of older people who will need the type of support
provided by health and social care services. There is a need to wherever
possible slow down the ‘decline ‘of individuals into greater dependency. The
whole systems approach is based on the belief that by working together
agencies not currently seen as providing services for older people can
contribute to promoting their well being and delay the point at which they will
need social care intervention. Libraries, exercise classes for older people at
leisure centres, social clubs etc all contribute to maintaining the physical and
mental health of older people. It is probable that more older people both as a
proportion of the population and in terms of absolute numbers will use the
library and continuing education services than use social care services. The
whole systems approach acknowledges the huge contribution that public
investment in housing, benefits, further education, culture and leisure can
make to the well being of older people.
Whole systems working is a means of ensuring there is an effective multi
agency working that seeks to improve the quality of life for older people. It
requires individual partners to know how older people use their services and
take the needs of older people into account when planning and delivering
those services.
The implications of whole systems working for strategic structures
Adopting a whole systems approach will bring other services into the strategic
and operational structures currently dominated by health and social care
services. There will also need to be a ‘cultural’ change in that departments
and services that see themselves providing services for the general
population will need to think about the needs of over 50’s and be able to
demonstrate through their strategies and plans that these needs are being
taken into account. They will need to recognise that their services are
important to older people and understand that working together with other
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agencies can promote the interests of all older people. They will also need to
understand the preventive agenda and the role they can play. Those in health
and social care services will need to develop an understanding of the needs
of the 85% who do not use there services and the way in which they would
want to be supported.
Assessing the current position
We have used two approaches to assess the extent to which this approach is
already embedded in the way that organisations in Walsall work together to
improve the quality of life of older people.
Firstly we asked the Council to undertake an audit of all its current strategies
and plans to assess how well these addressed the needs of an ageing
population.
Secondly we used a checklist developed by the Care Services Improvement
Partnership (CSIP) to assess the extent to which agencies are taking a whole
systems approach in promoting independence.
We outline these approaches and the results of this work in more detail below.
Existing Strategic Structures
In this section of the report we will outline existing strategic structures and
consider whether they can promote whole systems working and if not how
they can be modified to facilitate whole systems working.
The Walsall Borough Strategic Partnership (WBSP) is the Local Strategic
Partnership required by the Local Government Act 2000.
The WBSP is responsible for producing the Community Plan and is currently
leading on the development of the Sustainable Communities Plan (currently in
draft form). The WBSP Board has overall responsibility for the delivery of the
Community Plan. The Community Plan identifies a series of key issues, which
need to be addressed (transport, crime, housing, health etc). Four pillar
groups have been created to provide a strategic lead and seek to achieve the
goals set in the Community Plan.
The four pillar groups are
 Healthy Communities and Vulnerable Adults
 Safer Stronger Communities
 Economic Development and Enterprise and
 Children and Young People
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The Local Area Agreement seeks to deliver the outcomes identified in the
Community Plan and the council’s vision for the future of Walsall. The four
pillar groups are used to implement the LAA.
Each pillar group has a set of outcomes it is seeking to achieve. The Safer
Stronger Communities Pillar has identified 13 goals and the Economic
Development and Enterprise pillar has 7. The Children and Young People
Pillar has adopted the five outcomes, which relate to Every Child Matters. The
Healthy Communities and Vulnerable Adults would currently be seen as the
pillar group most closely associated with services for older people. However
the Safer Stronger Communities and Economic Development and Enterprise
pillars both have outcomes, which relate to older people. The needs of older
people cross the ‘pillar divides’. Older people are concerned about crime,
which is addressed partly through the Safer Stronger Communities Pillar.
Older people at 50 will be concerned about their employment opportunities
and the work of the Economic Development and Enterprise Pillar will be of
significance.
Healthy Communities and Vulnerable Adults Pillar
The outcomes for the Healthy Communities and Vulnerable Adults pillar group
are:
 Improved health of the population

Improving quality of life and independence

To promote social inclusion.
Partnership Boards
Five Partnership Boards perform the role of the Healthier Communities &
Vulnerable Adults Pillar of the Community Plan / LAA. They are the:

Learning Disability Partnership Board (LDPB)

Mental Health Partnership Board (MHPB)

Physical & Sensory Impairment (PSI) Partnership Board

Older People (OP) Partnership Board

Health Inequalities Partnership Board.
Four boards are specific to service user groups and the Health Inequalities
Partnership Board deals with health issues, which cross all service user
groups e.g. smoking cessation.
As a collective the Partnership Boards form the Healthier Communities &
Vulnerable Adults Stakeholders group.
Membership includes officers from the council and PCT, elected members,
representatives of the voluntary sector and service users. The Partnership
Board usually include a member of the Community Empowerment Network
The boards have no statutory power to make decisions on policy or
resources. However they are responsible for strategic direction for services for
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their user group, articulating a wide community of interests and holding
agencies voluntarily accountable for delivery of their Joint Strategies.
Partnership Boards meet bi monthly.
The tPCT and Social Care and Inclusion have agreed one named lead for
each of the service user groups represented by a Partnership Board who will
jointly represent both agencies (Partnership Lead Officers).
Partnership Executive Groups.
Each of the five Partnership Boards is voluntarily accountable to five
Partnership Executive Groups (PEG).
Partnership Executive Groups (PEG) were created because the development
of integrated services requires executive bodies with delegated powers
(through the officers) that are able to make decision on commissioning,
operational policy and resource allocations across health and social care. The
Partnership Boards given their composition were not able to make this type of
decision.
Senior Managers remain committed to the powerful and influential role of the
Partnership Boards and have agreed to demonstrate this through the
Partnership Executive Groups by holding themselves voluntarily accountable
to the Boards. They discharge this by engaging with the Boards to develop an
agreed Joint Strategy and then reporting on progress toward delivery of the
Joint Strategy. The success of the arrangement depends to a substantial
extent on the collaborative working between the Boards and the Partnership
Executive Groups and the provision of infrastructure support to both bodies.
Pillar Executive Group
The five Partnership Executive Groups report to a single Healthier
Communities and Vulnerable Adults Pillar Executive Group.
The Healthier Communities Vulnerable Adults Pillar Executive Group is
responsible for the strategic management of the whole health and social care
economy across all service user groups. It is also responsible for the
performance management of the LAA and to the Councils Cabinet and the
tPCT Board. It holds the Partnership Boards and the PEG’s responsible for
the delivery of the joint strategies.
The Healthier Communities Vulnerable Adults Pillar Executive Group reports
to the WBSP Executive Committee.
WBSP Executive Committee
The Pillar Executive Groups of the four pillars (Healthy Communities and
Vulnerable Adults, Safer Stronger Communities, Economic Development and
Enterprise and Children and Young People) all report to the WBSP Executive
Group. The overarching role of the Executive is to ensure that all
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commissions and projects are in line with the outcomes of the Community
Plan, LAA and other WBSP strategies.
The Executive Group reports directly to the WBSP Partnership Board.
Agency Strategic Structures
The primary role of the Strategic Partnership is to identify higher level
outcomes. Services should then be managed in way, which achieves these
outcomes. The outcomes are translated into action through the Local Area
Agreement. Individual partners will have their own internal strategic structures
to deliver the outcomes. For example the Corporate Plan is Walsall Councils
contribution to the action plan for the Community Plan and the LAA. In effect it
transfers the Community Plan and LAA goals into the council’s performance
management system. The council’s performance management system
translates the Corporate Plan into Directorate Plans, Assistant Directors
Plans, Services Plans, Team Plans and Individual Plans. The Partnership
Boards, PEG’s etc bring agencies together to facilitate joint working which
seeks to achieve the outcomes identified by the Strategic Partnership.
Strategic Structures and the Whole Systems Approach
Strategic structures will have to reflect the move towards whole systems
working. The Healthy Communities and Vulnerable Adults would currently be
seen as the pillar group most closely associated with services for older
people. However the Safer Stronger Communities and Economic
Development and Enterprise pillars both have outcomes, which relate to older
people. The needs of older people cross the ‘pillar divides’. Older people are
concerned about crime, which is addressed partly through the Safer Stronger
Communities Pillar. Older people at 50 will be concerned about their
employment opportunities and the work of the Economic Development and
Enterprise Pillar will be of significance. There is a need to ensure the strategic
structure can support the development of the whole systems approach.
Moving to a whole systems approach requires strategic coordination that
crosses the existing pillar groups and will requires new strategic links within
agencies. A mechanism needs to be in place that allows a series of cross
pillar group outcomes to be developed that address the needs of one
particular group or relate to a specific issue that cross’s pillar group
‘boundaries’.
We understand discussions are currently taking place about how to manage
issues, which cross the pillar, divides and consideration is being given to
developing a Health and Well Being Board which cross’s the pillar structure.
If this is the case then this Board may be an appropriate vehicle to set the
outcomes for a whole systems strategy for older people and provide strategic
leadership (see appendix two outcomes framework)
Within agencies new strategic relationships will need to be formed between
agencies that cross ‘old’ pillar, agency and departmental divides. The Day
Opportunities Strategy developed by Social Care and Inclusion indicates what
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will need to occur. The Day Opportunities Strategy reviewed the provision of
day care for older people and made the decision to encourage the
development of a day opportunities approach. This involves linking older
people into existing activities, which are provided or funded by other
directorates or agencies. This would require the involvement of Leisure
Services, Adult Education, and the Community Associations etc and require
new strategic and operational relationships to be forged.
Managing Change
Whole systems working requires new relationships to be developed.
Developing a whole systems strategy is a long-term process, which will
require a series of interlocking projects to change both structures and
services. There is a need to manage a series of change programmes, which
move services towards a whole systems approach.
There is a need for clear strategic leadership. A network of senior staff in each
partner agency need to be identified who are responsible for promoting the
whole systems approach. This is particularly important in those agencies
which would not have traditionally have seen themselves as meeting the
needs of older people.
There is a need for a clear, shared vision in writing which has been developed
in conjunction with older people and staff and which commits all partners to
make the changes necessary to develop a whole systems approach.
This vision needs to be endorsed by elected members, chief officers and the
governing boards of all partners.
It will not be possible to move to a whole systems approach in one step and
there will need to be a series of projects that gradually build linkages between
agencies and move towards whole systems working.
A ‘Programme Board’, needs to be established which will orchestrate the
changes. The board will report to the senior managers who have overall
responsibility for implementing the whole systems approach.
Initially the Programme Board needs to identify the key partners and establish
what services they provide. The services need to mapped using the whole
systems framework (see appendix 5). The Board needs to satisfy itself that
staff in each partner agency understand the whole systems concept and
understand the role of their agency in supporting older people. In effect the
contribution their agency can make to the health and well being of older
people.
The Programme Board then needs to prioritise the change programme based
on the recommendations outlined in this report. It also needs to establish
structures, which facilitate change.
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Developing a whole systems strategy requires a series of interlocking change
programmes. These programmes will involve a number of services with
different priorities, managed by different agencies. Change on this scale can
be confusing and time consuming. There is a need to rationalise the process
and bring agencies together around particular themes.
The whole systems framework divides services into 5 levels:
Level Content of each level
1
Citizenship, inclusion and engagement, and active ageing
2
Prevention and minimum intervention
3
Intensive time limited interventions and intermediate care
4
Community based long term support / long term supported
accommodation
5
Hospital and long-stay residential and nursing home care
Level one services include active ageing and services, which encourage
social involvement and engagement in community activities. Level two
services generally provide minimum intervention and would include lower
level domiciliary care, community alarms, befriending services etc. Level three
services tend to be short term intensive services that enable people to regain
or retain current self care skills and prevent them needing more intensive
support/care services. Level four services would include extra care and
people maintained in the community with long term care packages. Level
five services include ‘Hospital and long-stay residential and nursing home.
Level 1 and level 2 services tend to be open access services, which are
usually described as preventive. Services in levels 3, 4 and 5 can only be
accessed through an assessment process and seek to meet the needs of
people with more complex problems.
We would recommend that the Programme Board develops two sub groups
one of which focus’s on level 1 and 2 services – a Preventive sub group and
one which focus’s on level 3, 4 and 5 services – a Specialist sub group.
Our work has identified a large number of recommendations in respect of
most services and service areas and this is a pragmatic decision to facilitate
the implementation of the change programme.
Strategic Direction
There are a number of issues in relation to strategic coordination that need to
be considered by the senior managers who are leading this programme.
The government is using 50 as the threshold for defining older people. This
presents particular issues for authorities who use a different age definition.
In Walsall older people are defined as people over 65.The Older Persons
Services support older people over 65, the YADs people between 50 and 65.
The situation is further complicated in Walsall because EMI service users are
supported through the joint Mental Health Service and older people with
learning disabilities through the joint Learning Disabilities service.
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There is a need to consider using the Programme Board to bring all work in
relation to older people over 50 together.
The way in which strategic and operational change is managed needs to be
clarified. For example a comprehensive Day Opportunities Strategy was
developed and was passed to a group to progress implementation. The group
failed to meet and the system did not pick up on the lack of progress.
There are a number of services, which operate outside the context of any
strategy. This can mean that services are being provided without any
systematic assessment of need and with no overall strategic goals. The list of
strategies compiled for the recent inspection indicated there were a number of
service areas with no strategies in place. This creates problems for a whole
systems approach, which is trying to coordinate the way in which services
work together if some services have no overall strategic direction and what
they provide is not based on an analysis of need.
Recommendations
A cross pillar group should be used to agree the higher level outcomes for a
whole systems strategy for older people.
A group of senior managers across the partner agencies need to be identified
who will lead the move to a whole systems approach.
A Programme Board needs to be established to orchestrate the changes
needed.
The Programme Board needs to develop two sub groups (Prevention and
Specialist Services) to enable agencies to focus on particular areas and
prioritise what is a long-term change programme.
Consideration should be given to using the Programme Board to integrate the
work of the current Partnership Boards to address the re definition of older
people as people over 50 and bring together all services for older people
under one Board.
All services should be provided on the basis of agreed strategies and
strategies should be developed for those services operating without a written
strategy.
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Auditing existing strategies
The aim of this exercise is to assess the extent to which strategies and plans
that are sensitive to and address the needs and aspirations of older people.
More particularly at the moment it means ensuring that organisations
understand the changing age structure of the population, assess the full
impact of this across the whole range of their activities, including employment,
and make their plans accordingly.
The audit was a self-assessment carried out by the person or people
responsible for the particular strategy or plan. We used a framework that has
been developed by PFA based on work originally done in the North West of
England by the Regional Assembly. This asks people to assess their
strategy/plan against five domains. These are:
1. A focus on older people - to what extent is the strategy based on an
understanding of local demographics, the heterogeneity of people over
50 etc?
2. Service utilisation - does the strategy show an understanding the way
in which older people use the service?
3. Consultation and Engagement - to what extent were older people are
consulted and involved in the development of the service. What
structures and processes are in place for ongoing consultation and
engagement?
4. Information and marketing - how is the service is promoted? Does it
specifically target the over 50s?
5. Employment – is the age profile of the workforce monitored? What
approaches are in place to retaining and recruiting older workers?
The audit tool is included at appendix 3a
People completing the audit were asked to outline the current position, the
evidence on which they base their assessment of the current position and
what further action they think is required.
Table 1shows the strategies that were audited. Unfortunately audits were not
carried out on some key strategies e.g. the Community Safety Strategy,
Leisure and Learning strategy
Fig. 1: audited strategies
Lead Service Area
Strategy
Corporate
Performance
Management


Corporate Plan
Consultation Strategy 2007-10
Human Resources

Resourcing Strategy
Engineering and

Walsall Transport Plan
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Transportation
Street Pride

Municipal Waste Strategy
Leisure and Culture



Customer Services Strategy
Green Space Strategy
Supplementary Planning Document for
Affordable Housing
District Centre Regeneration
Walsall Transport Strategy
Unitary Development Plan
Sustainable Communities Strategy
Strategic
Regeneration
Walsall Borough
Strategic Partnership
Social Care and
Inclusion
















Joint Strategy for Learning Disabilities
Joint Mental Health Strategy.
Assistive Technology Strategy
Older Peoples Joint Commissioning Strategy
Carers Strategy
Joint Strategy for People with Physical and
Sensory Disabilities
Joint Commissioning Strategy
Housing Strategy
BME Housing Strategy
Gypsy and Traveller Strategy
Housing Renewal Assistance Strategy
Affordable Warmth Strategy
Results of the audit
In general the audit shows that a significant number of plans are aware of the
implications of an ageing society and have begun to take this into account in
terms of planning for the future. However there is probably a lack of
awareness of the real impact that changes in demography are likely to have
over the next 10 to 20 years and little evidence of real, long-term planning to
address these issues.
There is a generalised assumption in many plans that specific planning in
relation to older people is only required for those older people who are frail
and/or vulnerable. Otherwise it is assumed that the needs of people over 50
will be met by meeting the needs of the general population. Whilst there is a
considerable degree of truth in this such an approach fails to recognise:

The specific needs of an older population or

The growing importance of older people as a target group for service
provision
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A specific example illustrates both of these points.
Older people and leisure services
By and large older people are generally lower users of
leisure services. This often seems to be because they see
them as being for younger people and are put off by a
perception that places such as gyms are full of young
people, clad in Lycra and pumping iron.
Yet it is important that older people are attracted into these
services both because of the importance of increasing their
levels of physical activity and for the survival of those
services as older people become a larger group in the
general population.
Attracting older people into these services requires some
specific approaches that recognise and try and overcome
the barriers that stop them. These can include:
 Recruiting older staff who reflect the older age
group

Specific marketing aimed at older people

Taster sessions and more extensive induction
programmes

Planning and programming activities that are more
likely to appeal to older people at times of the day
when they can access services

Looking at public transport to centres

Taking sessions out into the places where older
people go
So whilst in theory leisure services are open to all age
groups, in practice it will often require specific provision to
attract many older people to actually use the services that
are available.
There is little evidence that there are plans to switch resources as a
consequence of the growing numbers of older people in the borough.
Strategies and plans generally need to take much more cognisance of the
impact of an ageing population in the town.
Most strategies seem to have included some element of consultation with
older people in their development. However it is not always clear how this has
taken place and whether it has specifically been with older people or just that
older people took part in the general consultation. Again it is not necessarily
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appropriate to separate out consultation with over 50s entirely from more
general consultation but specific consultation with this age group, e.g. through
the Over 50s Forum, is more likely to tease out any specific issues that affect
older people.
Mechanisms for ongoing engagement, as opposed to consultation, seem to
be poor.
A more detailed assessment of individual strategies is set out in Fig. 2 below.
It is important to realise, however, that this analysis is based on the results of
the audit i.e. a self-assessment, rather than a detailed analysis f the strategies
themselves (this was beyond the scope of this piece of work). It may be the
case, therefore, that some of the weaknesses identified are addressed in the
relevant strategy/plan but this has not been reported in the audit.
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Fig. 2: Summary of audit of individual strategies
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
Strengths
Weaknesses
Areas for further
development
1. Affordable
housing
To ensure the
provision of affordable
housing as part of
residential
developments
Identifies need for new
housing as a result of
demographic change
Contains no specific
references to the needs
of older people
Consider specific
implications of the need
for a range of affordable
housing to meet the
needs of an ageing
population as part of an
overall housing strategy
for older people (see 12
below)
2. Affordable
Warmth
strategy
To tackle fuel poverty
and improve the
energy efficiency of
homes
Highlights impact of
demographic change
Older people will be a
very significant target
group for this strategy
but it is not clear that it
includes specific actions
to target this group.
Ensure a range of
initiatives designed to
promote take up amongst
older people specifically
No account taken of
demographic change
Consider developing
specific initiatives aimed
at more frail older people
3. Allotments
strategy
Development of
allotments/community
and therapeutic
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Identifies a range of
further requirements to
monitor position of over
50s
Specific consultation with
older people
Consultation responses
analysed by age –
approximately 75% were
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
gardens
4. Black and
Minority Ethnic
Housing
Strategy


Strengths
over 50
To increase
housing choice and
access and
Improve the quality
of housing and
services
For BME residents
Identifies specific needs
of people aged 45 and
over and recognises
growing needs of older
people
Weaknesses
No information targeted
at older people
Risk that needs of
different communities
are not separately
identified
Identifies need for further
research into new and
emerging communities
Areas for further
development
e.g. community gardens
Develop intergenerational
projects e.g. linking older
gardeners and schools
Further research into
potential need for
specialist housing and
support (identified as
future requirement)
Have regard to the
potentially different needs
of different communities
Identifies a range of
services currently
available for BME elders
5. Carers strategy
Support to carers in
Walsall
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Specific consultation with
older people
Good mechanisms for
engaging with carers
Weak on recognition of
specific needs of older
carers except for carers
of people with learning
difficulties
Whilst there are many
issues that are common
to carers across all ages
there are issues which
affect older carers
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
6. Consultation
and
engagement
strategy
7. Council
corporate plan
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
Sets out the Council’s
overall approach to
consulting and
engaging with local
people
Strengths
Consultation activity
includes mechanisms
specific to older people
Broad based consultation
processes e.g. Over 50s
Forum and Citizens
Panel
Sets out the Council’s
Identifies specific
vision for the Borough
priorities in relation to
and it’s priorities for the over 50s.
year ahead
Consultation with older
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Weaknesses
No information produced
specifically for older
people
Areas for further
development
increasingly. Strategy
needs to address
implications of ageing
population for supply of
carers as well as need for
increased support to
carers as they grow older.
Target information on
older people
Ensure mechanisms in
No evidence of
place to reach ‘hard to
consultation with ‘hard to reach’ groups
reach’ groups e.g.
people with learning
difficulties, gay and
lesbian people
Ensure audit process is in
place and results are
No mechanisms to audit published
effectiveness of
consultation processes
Incorporation of outcome
of older people’s strategy
into future plans
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
Strengths
Weaknesses
Areas for further
development
Tends to conflate
meeting the needs of the
whole population with
addressing the specific
needs of older people
Carry out further research
into how older people
would prefer to access
services
people through Over 50s
Forum
8. Customer
Services
strategy
Identifies the different
ways that the Council
uses to provide
services to its
customers and sets out
a plan for improvement
Specific consultation with
older people
Identifies some specific
initiatives that will be
focussed on older people
e.g. training on using the
internet to access
information
Consider setting up a
specific older people’s
portal i.e. a dedicated
website holding a
comprehensive range f
information for older
people with links to
relevant pages of the
Council’s website
Identifies the need for
further consultation with
older people
Ensure that older people
are able to use a variety
of ways to access
services in their local area
9. Green space
To provide an audit of
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Recognises Walsall has
Consultation with older
Undertake market
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
strategy
the Borough’s green
spaces and an action
plan for improvements
an ageing population
people limited to
‘Friends of Parks’
groups
10. Gypsy and
traveller
Community
Strategy
Identify, understand
and raise awareness of
the specific needs of
gypsy and traveller
communities in Walsall
and develop services
to meet those needs
Addresses the needs of
an group that is often
ignored
No specific reference to
issues that will
particularly affect older
people in these
communities e.g. access
to appropriate health
and social care services
11. Housing
Policy for the award of
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Strengths
Weaknesses
Areas for further
development
research into views of
older people who d not se
parks and develop new
Recognition that older
initiatives to encourage
people are major users of
green spaces
No evidence of links with more older people to use
other relevant strategies green spaces
e.g. health improvement
Some consultation with
older people
Commitment to explore
ways of engaging older
people from the gypsy
and traveller community
in the development of a 3
year strategy
Contains specific policies
No data available on
numbers of over 50s in
these communities
No specific consultation
Consult with people over
50 from these
communities
Ensure mechanisms in
place to collect
information about the
number of people aged
50+ and their specific
needs
Ensure appropriate
services are in place to
meet the health and
social care needs of older
people
Older people are likely to
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
Renewal
Assistance
Policy
disabled facilities
grants (DFGs), funding
for adaptations in the
home and support for
vulnerable people or
people on low incomes
to help repair their
homes
to target over 60s e.g.
home repair assistance
grants
Overarching
framework to increase
choice and improve
quality in all forms of
housing across the
Borough
Identifies a need for
some specific responses
to an ageing population
e.g. developing extra
care housing
12. Housing
strategy
Strengths
Older people consulted
during the development
18
with older people
No marketing directed at
older people
Resources for DFGs
increased in response to
rising demand
Recognises the
importance of ensuring
that al sectors contribute
to meeting the needs of
an ageing population e.g.
increase provision f
lifetime homes
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
Weaknesses
Not clear that the
strategy would meet the
full requirements of
housing to meet the
needs of an ageing
population as set out in
DCLG guidance and the
recent national Housing
Strategy for Older
people ‘Lifetime Homes.
Lifetime
Neighbourhoods’
Areas for further
development
form the biggest target
group for these policies
so there should be
specific measures to
market the availability of
support to them
Consider the need for a
specific housing strategy
for older people
See also
recommendations in
relation to specialist
housing in the main report
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
Strengths
Weaknesses
Areas for further
development
of the strategy
13. Joint
commissioning
plan
14. Learning
disability
service joint
strategy
Sets out plans for the
development of health
and social are services
for people over 50
including actions to
improve their health
and well-being
Health and social care
services for adults with
a learning disability
Some services
developed that
specifically target older
people
Good consultation
mechanisms.
Comprehensive
approach to meeting the
needs of over 50s
requiring social care
services.
Recognises demographic
change amongst the
population of people with
LD in Walsall
Limited scope of
prevention initiatives.
Recruiting and retaining
older workers
Limited information
about age profile of
workforce and measures
to attract and retain
older people
Seemingly no
consultation with older
people with a learning
disability
Ensure specific
consultation with older
people with a learning
disability
Lacks any specific
actions to address
growing numbers of
older people with LD
e.g. potential need for
special provision
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
19
Consider the need to
develop specific services
and approaches that will
meet the needs of a
growing number of older
people with a learning
disability e.g. specialist
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
Strengths
15. Municipal
waste strategy
Divert waste from
landfill.
16. Physical and
Sensory
Impairment
Joint
Commissioning
Plan
Development of social
care services for
younger adults with a
disability
Older people included in
consultation
arrangements
17. Private sector
housing
renewal
strategy
To improve the
standard of private
sector housing
Identifies impact of
demographic change
Inks to other strategies
which impact on older
people e.g. Affordable
warmth
Partnership working with
Age Concern and Over
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
20
Weaknesses
Areas for further
development
No actions to address
potential issues of age
discrimination in the
workforce
No recognition that
specific groups e.g. frail
older people, may face
particular difficulties in
relation to recycling
Lack of evidence that
potential overlap exists
between PSI plan and
Older People’s strategy
for people aged 50 - 65
housing and
accommodation
Little evidence of any
specific analysis of
position of over 50s in
relation to the private
rented sector e.g. are
they over/under
represented in poorer
quality housing?
Develop better
understanding of the
specific position of people
over 50 and, if
appropriate, develop
programmes targeted at
this group
Consult with older
people’s groups to ensure
maximum use of recycling
facilities by older people
Ensure there is effective
synergy between this plan
and the Older People’s
strategy
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
Strengths
Weaknesses
Areas for further
development
50s Forum
18. Recruitment
and workforce
monitoring
19. Resourcing
strategy
Sets out hw the
Council will recruit and
deploy staff to carry
out its responsibilities.
To report on the
implementation of the
Council’s equal
opportunities policies
(covers the period
2006/07 which saw the
introduction of Age
Discrimination
legislation)
20. Strategic
regeneration
A comprehensive
review of regeneration
priorities for the
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
21
Recognises need to
comply with Age
Discrimination legislation
Identifies under
representation of people
aged 56+ in Council
workforce
Limited specific
measures to retain and
recruit older people.
Focuses primarily on
issues of race and
disability
Introduce comprehensive
range of policies and
measures to:


Identifies implications of
changing demographics
in context of spatial
No specific consultation
with older people’s
groups – not clear to
Recruit older
people into the
workforce e.g. by
more high profile
advertising of jobs
amongst older
people and
Retain older
people at work e.g.
through developing
a greater range of
flexible retirement
policies
Implications of an ageing
population for
regeneration strategies
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
framework
Borough and setting
out a 10-15 year plan
for regeneration of
district/local centres
and priority
neighbourhoods.
housing priorities
Overarching strategy
for the Borough
providing a vision for
Walsall and a
framework for all other
strategies and plans
Older people identified as Limited recognition of
a specific group within
impact of changing
the strategy
demography as it will
affect almost all services
and strategies
Strategy based on a
thorough analysis of
demographic conditions
No specific consultation
with older people
Specific measures
targeted at older people
e.g. improved health,
leisure and learning
Recognises need to take No clear links to other
account of ageing
preventative strategies
population
21. Sustainable
community
strategy (SCS)
22. Telecare
strategy
Development of the
community alarm
service and telecare
support
Strengths
Weaknesses
Areas for further
development
what extent older people
have been consulted.
relate not just to housing
but other areas e.g.
developing ‘older people
friendly’ neighbourhoods,
recognising the
importance of maintaining
mixed communities.
Ensure that
recommendations from
older people’s strategy
are reflected in any future
drafts of the SCS
Addresses need to
ensure new housing
meets lifetime homes
standards
Specific consultation with
older people
Refresh Local Area
Agreement at earliest
opportunity to incorporate
outcome of development
of Older People’s
Strategy
Ensure strategy and
service firmly located
within overall approach to
promoting health and
well-being
Also see main report for
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
22
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
Strengths
Weaknesses
Identifies future
requirements in some
areas
23. Transport
strategy
Sets out the transport
priorities for the
Borough
Recognises importance
of specialist transport,
such as ‘Ring and Ride’
and Community
Transport in meeting
needs of older people
with mobility problems
24. Unitary
Development
Plan (UDP)
Provision for and
location and
management of the
environment, jobs and
Recognises the
importance of developing
sustainable communities
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
23
Areas for further
development
recommendations about
securing future funding
arrangements
Assumes that issues
affecting older people
only relate to specialist
transport. Doesn’t
recognise the increased
importance of public
transport to an ageing
population e.g. lower car
ownership and the
important role that
access to good public
transport plays in
enabling older people to
access services and
maintain social
networks. Little evidence
of consultation.
Not clear that it contains
specific proposals to
ensure the effective
development of mixed
More ongoing
engagement with older
people’s groups to
address their specific
concerns about access to
good public transport.
The UDP should set out
proposals to ensure that
the housing mix for
developments meets the
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Strategy
Brief summary of aim
of the strategy
prosperity, centres,
housing, transport,
leisure and community
facilities in terms of
planning policy and
control
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
24
Strengths
Weaknesses
Contains specific
communities that
references to meeting the recognise the changing
needs of an ageing
demographic picture e.g.
population
Areas for further
development
needs and aspirations of
an ageing population in
line with ‘Lifetime Homes.
Lifetime Neighbourhoods’
Specific approach may be
needed to maximise
opportunities for and
quality of specialist
housing for older people
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
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Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Recommendations
The proposed new Programme Board should take responsibility for
the routine auditing of all strategies and plans to ensure they
address the needs of ageing population
Strategies and plans should be audited as they become due to be
renewed using the audit tool. The areas identified for further
development in our review of the audit should be addressed in this
process
Older people should be involved in this audit process through the
Over 50s Forum. Specific training and support for older people and
staff will be required to ensure this involvement is meaningful
The Programme Board should agree an overall framework setting
out how older people will be consulted n new strategies and plans
that will ensure both that older people are properly consulted but
also that consultation is proportionate and co-ordinated (see also
recommendations on consultation and engagement in main report)
The Council and its partners should develop a Resources Strategy
as part of the overall implementation of the Older People’s
strategy. The Resources Strategy will set out:

The resources currently spent on older people in he
Borough both in specialist and generalist services (the
last element will be largely an estimated amount)

The estimated increase in resources needed to address
the needs of a growing population of older people

A plan showing how these resources will be obtained and
deployed
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
26
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Appendix 3a: Audit tool
Domain 1 – Focus on Older People
Question
Does the strategy/plan take
account of changing
demography?
Does it contain specific
reference to meeting the needs
of an aging population?
How does it reflect the
heterogeneity of people over
50?
How was it ensured that it was
free of generalisations,
stereotypical notions or
negative images about people
of different age groups
Has there been any specific
consultation with older people in
developing the strategy/plan or
is any planned?
Does it propose any specific
initiatives to ensure services
meet the needs of different age
groups?
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
Current Position
27
Evidence
Further Requirements
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Domain 2 - Service Utilisation
Question
Do the services provided as
a result of this strategy/plan
have users over 50?
Do you have any detailed
information about which
people over 50 use your
service?
Have you developed any
services that are specifically
targeted at older people?
Have you put in place any
specific measures to attract
older people to use your
service?
Have you done any market
research to find out what
older people think of your
service?
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
Current Position
28
Evidence
Further Requirements
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Domain 3 - Consultation and engagement
Question
Do you regularly consult
with people over 50 who
use your services and if so
how?
Do you have mechanisms in
place to feedback to people
on the results of your
consultations?
Do you have mechanisms in
place to track any changes
that occur as a result of the
consultation?
Has there been any specific
consultation with older
people about the services
which relate to this
strategy/plan or is any
planned?
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
Current Position
29
Evidence
Further Requirements
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Domain 4 - Information and marketing
Question
Do you produce publicity
material about/market the
services, which relate to this
strategy/plan?
What other approaches do
you use to promote take up
of services.
Is any of your marketing
directed specifically at older
people?
Does your information
material contain any
images/words about older
people?
Does it portray older people
in a positive light?
Current Position
Has it been checked for
plain English?
Is it available in different
formats e.g. large print other
languages?
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
30
Evidence
Further Requirements
Walsall Whole Systems Strategy for Older People
Domain 5 - Employment
Question
Do you have plans in place
to comply with legislation
banning age discrimination?
Do you have a scheme to
retain older staff in the
workforce?
Do you monitor the age
profile of your workforce to
ensure it matches that of the
local community?
Do you monitor job
applications by age?
Current Position
How do you ensure older
people are aware of your
recruitment aspirations?
Peter Fletcher Associates Ltd
31
Evidence
Further Requirements