Service supporting vulnerable Somerset adults could be split

A vital support service could be split in a bid to improve the lives of adults with autism or learning disabilities.

The Crisis Support Service in Somerset runs outreach services and helps to provide short-term accommodation.

As the only specialist provision of its kind in the county, the service has helped to reduce general care costs and admissions to emergency departments.

Councillors said they hoped splitting the accommodation from the at-home support would offer more flexibility.

The service, which was created in 2018, works as part of a multi-agency partnership to reduce hospital admissions and provide targeted support, The Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It has two main elements: a short-term accommodation service based in Taunton (housing people for up to six weeks), and an outreach service that provides specialist support (either in-house or through partners) in people's homes.

The service aims to prevent long-term care packages following medical emergencies, which could cost the council more than £10,000 per week and provide "unsuitable and unsustainable support", often by relocating individuals outside of the county.

George Bray, Somerset County Council's senior commissioning officer, said commissioning the two elements separately would enable people with complex needs to receive better support.

In his report to the council's executive committee, he said: "We have concluded that having flexibility and focus on each element separately is beneficial due the complexity, intensity and unpredictability of support being delivered."

The contract for the residential element of the service is expected to be worth up to £550,000, while the contract for the outreach element could be worth up to £450,000 per year.

Councillor Caroline Ellis, assistant portfolio holder for education, said: "I strongly, strongly welcome this. It will make a big difference to a lot of people's lives."

The new contracts will take effect by April 2023 and will be in place for five years.

Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]