Current Needs of People Using Care and Support At Home

Current Needs of People Using Care and Support At Home

81.5% of all customers in receipt of care and support at home customers are aged 65-years and over, the highest volume of customers being within the 90+ years age band (18.1%), closely followed by those in the 85-89-years age band (17.8%).

Between 2017 and 2024 there has been a 43% increase overall in the number of care and support at home packages commissioned by WSCC, although demand has not increased as steadily more recently between 2021-2024 as shown in the image of the graph below.

The older people customer numbers have increased by approximately 32% since 2017. The number of older people mental health customers has been rising at a small but steady rate each month, resulting in a 19% increase over the past 3 years. The number of older people customers with physical and sensory impairments has decreased by 4% over the past 3 years.

Although demand has not increased significantly more recently for the older people cohort, the WSCC intention and direction is growth of community-based services and care and support at home. Other WSCC Market Position Statements have given clear indications for no new net growth in residential care as we develop extra care housing and with intentions to support more people at home.

At the same time, there has been a 22% increase in the overall number of working age adults in receipt of care and support at home since 2021. Although the number of working age customers with physical and sensory impairments fluctuates monthly, the overall current number is broadly similar to the numbers in 2021, hence growth in WSCC customers has been most significant in these younger age groups.

The graph in the image below shows the relatively consistent number of WSCC customers in recent years with the significant and steady increase over the preceding 4 years. An increasing trend overall is seen and will continue to be expected going forward.

The number of people of working age with a learning disability or mental health need in receipt of care and support at home have been rising by small numbers each month. Although customers in these groups account for less than 5% of all care and support at home customers, the current number in receipt are 600% and 700% higher respectively than in 2021. This suggests a shift in the age and complexity of needs for people who receive care and support at home.

For younger people in receipt of WSCC commissioned care and support at home, there is a necessity for further analysis of need and what care and support at home services are providing for this age group in relation to outreach services. There is a possibility that care and support at home services are being commissioned where outreach services may be more suitable. We will explore the use of different services to meet needs to ensure that people can be supported by services most able to meet their need.

WSCC Funded Care and Support At Home User Needs

Key to abbreviations:

• OP PSI – older people with physical/ sensory impairment
• OP MH – older people with mental health needs
• LD – customers with a learning disability
• WA PSI – customers of working age with a physical and sensory impairment.
• WA MH – customers of working age with mental health needs.

The image of the pie chart above shows that the largest customer grouping for care and support at home services is older people with physical and sensory impairments followed by working age adults with physical and sensory impairments and then older people with mental health needs.

Ethnicity

Approximately 100 people (4.2%) funded by WSCC for care and support at home are from a minority ethnic group. This is proportionately slightly lower than all customers from an ethnic minority accessing adult social care funding through WSCC (4.7%), and than the overall percentage of the West Sussex population (9%). The highest number of adult social care customers from a minority ethnic group are in Crawley, Arun, and Worthing.

Nationally, from 2016 to 2021, the percentage of adults receiving long-term support who identify as white went down from 87.8% to 83.3%, with a corresponding increase in the percentage of adults in all ethnic minority groups (excluding white minorities). In West Sussex, 92.7% of ASC customers identify as white, with 3.1% ethnicity unknown/not stated.

Deprivation

There are parts of West Sussex where households experience more deprivation than in other areas. Indices of deprivation data tells us that these five wards experience the most disadvantage in the county, being: Broadfield in Crawley; Bersted, Marine and Pevensey wards in Arun, and Castle ward in Worthing. This data is important as it indicates where there may be increased need for care and support at home services and different types of needs in these communities.