ECH is a very positive model offering housing with care to people of all ages. Whilst it has traditionally been focused on people over 55 years of age, it is increasingly used by younger adults with a range of care and support needs. All extra care schemes should be suitable for customers with complex needs.
We want to ensure that people who require care and support have greater choice and control over where they live and how their care needs are met. ECH is often a suitable alternative service to residential-based provision such as care or nursing homes.
The benefits of living in ECH are well documented with evidence of improvements to people’s health, wellbeing and independence while a reduction in social isolation. Extra care schemes can also reduce isolation and enhance the quality of life for people living in the local community by offering access to facilities.
Alongside the benefits to people’s outcomes and supporting more people to live independently, ECH provides a cost-effective model for West Sussex County Council (WSCC) in commissioning social care accommodation. WSCC is currently facing significant financial challenges in managing growing demand for services and increasing levels of complexity in people with social care needs. Growth in ECH provision presents greater opportunities to reduce the expenditure on alternative higher-cost services to enable more effective use of the social care budget to support more people.