Agenda item

To receive the Adult Social Care Market Position Statement for 2025 – 2028.

The Cabinet Member: Public Health & Healthier Communities presented the Adult Social Care Market Position Statement 2025–2029.

The report set out the Council’s strategic direction for shaping and sustaining the Adult Social care market in Telford and Wrekin over the next four years. The Statement, developed jointly with the Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care System, provided an overview of the local context within the health and social care system and outlined the Council’s commitment to early intervention, prevention, and person centred care as part of collaborative working with partner organisations.

The report recognised the ongoing financial pressures as a result of the increased demand in Adult Social Care while reaffirming the Council’s ambition to deliver high-quality, accessible and innovative services.

The report emphasised co-production with residents, carers and providers, and detailed commissioning priorities across a range of care needs, including support for people with disabilities, mental health needs and older adults. The Statement would be supported by annual Market Sustainability Plans to monitor progress and would guide care providers in shaping services to meet local needs and ensure a stable, innovative, and responsive care market.

Cabinet Members welcomed the Market Position Statement and thanked Officers for their work in developing it. Members highlighted a number of key achievements, including the expansion of specialist supported accommodation for adults with learning disabilities, enhanced support for informal carers and the rollout of new digital technology solutions. Members commended the Council’s focused approach to reducing demand and promoting early intervention and prevention, enabling residents to live and age well. The Statement was recognised as a clear demonstration of the Council’s ongoing commitment to developing a diverse, vibrant, and high-quality health and social care market that meets the needs and aspirations of local people.

The Conservative Group Leader thanked Officers for their support and the detailed briefings that he had been provided. He welcomed elements of the Market Position Statement, specifically those that focused on early intervention and prevention. He encouraged the Council to continue to refine its understanding of the specific needs of individuals within the wider population and to consider how best to identify and support future service users. He also welcomed the emphasis on innovation, particularly in relation to extra care provision and digital solutions, however raised concerns about long-term reliance on international carers and highlighted the importance of promoting local workforce participation and work readiness. Due to the complexity of the report, he suggested that future reports be made more accessible to smaller providers by consolidating commercial information.

The Cabinet Member: Public Health & Healthier Communities highlighted that the commissioning intentions were summarised on pages 18 to 20 of the report and provided a more condensed overview. In addition, regular engagement forums had been held throughout the year with partners to break down and communicate information in a more accessible way. Whilst the document was comprehensive and reflected on the breadth of the work, it was acknowledged that ongoing engagement had helped providers and stakeholders understand developments at a more detailed level. In relation to identifying future care needs, the Cabinet Member highlighted the Council’s ongoing preventative work, which provided valuable insight into emerging needs and supported early planning for individuals who may require care in the future.

RESOLVED that – the new Market Position Statement 2025 – 2029 be approved.