City’s £6 million plan set to support people with complex needs

Sheffield’s £6 million plan is set to be agreed at a cabinet meeting today to support people with drug and alcohol problems, and other complex needs.

Over the next five years Sheffield City Council will work in partnership with NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and South Yorkshire Police to support hundreds of adults who have drug and alcohol problems; are homeless; have health or mental health problems and are repeat offenders.

Councillor Peace, cabinet member for health and social care at Sheffield City Council said: “The existing public services Sheffield provide are directly designed to meet a particular need and not to address multiple complex needs such as homelessness, mental health problems and substance misuse.

“This new programme will work directly with a group of people who often have chaotic lives and find it difficult to engage with our traditional services.

“Their frequent use of high cost emergency services means that this group of people cost local services a huge amount, as well as causing disruption to their own lives and our communities.”

Under the new programme an individual would have a single worker who would be responsible for coordinating and supporting their access to the services they need.

Councillor Peace added: “This will help to reduce the level of chaos in these people’s lives and help them access community services which can provide longer term support and help to make a real difference.”

The programme will increase the number of individuals living in safe, secure accommodation, reduce the number of unplanned hospital admissions and reduce levels of crime and anti-social behaviour.

Brian Hughes, Director of Commissioning at Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group said: “Improving the health of adults with complex needs is a big priority for the CCG. By working together with other public services and investing more money, we can make a real difference to the lives of these often vulnerable people. Supporting people in the community will lead to better health and wellbeing and fewer emergency hospital admissions, reducing demands on our hospitals”.