We must meet older people's needs
Nick Clegg should be advised to learn about the complexities of the debate around residential scheme managers versus floating support services before aligning himself with one particular view (Clegg: Let elderly vote on wardens, Inside Housing, 23 April).
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Continuing to focus the debate on residential versus floating support services helps no one, especially the service user and, to an extent, allows supporting providers to ‘get away with’ poor quality service delivery. It is naïve to take the view that residential scheme manager equals good and non-resident scheme manager equals poor service delivery and not helpful to anyone to focus consultation on voting for one or the other.
Focusing consultation around issues of choice, flexibility, personalisation, preferences and outcomes produces much more meaningful feedback which helps organisations to design services tailored to meeting individual needs.
Whatever the model of delivery, it is more important that sheltered housing services meet older people’s individual needs and aspirations, are professional, consistent and adhere to recognised quality standards and good practice advocated by Centre for Housing Support, Essential Role of Social Housing and others.
Rebecca Mollart, training and academic consultant