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Market Position Statement 2025 - 2040 Community-Based Services Prevention And Early Help Services

Market Rating Sufficiency of Supply

There is no current overarching needs analysis that sets out what the prevention and early help needs are of Walsall citizens now and into the future and there is some but limited Adult Social Care knowledge of the whole range of non-commissioned services in localities. This is being researched now with locality leads in Resilient Communities as part of the MPS process in order to build a clearer overall picture of supply.

Supply is rated Red

In terms of adult social care funded and commissioned external supply, commissioners current consider supply to be a red rating given that funding in this area has been reduced over the years and the small number of ASC funded contracts given the strategic intent to maximise people’s independence and support their needs as soon as possible to prevent escalation of needs and longer-term care. This is an area of development in partnership with Walsall Together and Resilient Communities. However there has been significant ASC investment in OT clinics, a new reablement contract and in a new Pathways to Independence Service all of which are preventative in nature. 

Market status – Quality

Commissioners consider the quality of the small number of commissioned providers to be good – there just isn’t enough of these types of Adult Social Care commissioned services.

Quality is rated Green

Market Status – Workforce 

The stability of the workforce of the providers commissioned to deliver prevention and early help services is currently unknown. Work will be done with providers to explore this. 

Provider Dimensions 

There are excellent grassroots community-based organisations in Walsall delivering prevention and early help. However, a provider dimension is likely to be a sense of lack of oversight and investment by the Council and plugging of gaps of services that have been reduced due to budgetary constraints.

Market Data And Insights 

There is limited adult social care data and insights on these services and the crucial preventative impact that these services make.

 Distance From Vision 

There is an emerging vision for preventative and early help services across People Services through an All-Age Prevention Strategy. This work will continue to be co-designed and shaped with this sector and with partners. 

Market Risks

  • Risk that reduced funding for these services affects the ability of adult social care to drive forward its maximising independence and demand management strategy and plans to enable people to seek help when they need it from early support services
  • Risk that the whole picture of early support services is not known/ understood by Adult Social Care and not mapped against need making it more difficult to address gaps and target areas for additional / new services
  • Risk of not having a market – this sector needs infrastructure, resources, support and opportunities to market shape with commissioners and Borough partners. 

Market Opportunities 

  • Better promote carers support services to brokers, care managers, partners, Walsall citizens
  • Deliver the All-Age Prevention Strategy
  • Good providers but need for more resources for prevention and a growth of the supply of these services
  • These services are a key part of the ASC strategic driver to keep people well in their homes and local communities
  • Opportunity to have multi-agency work on a vision and blueprint for change in this area till 2040
  • Opportunity for more of an outcomes-focussed approach - refresh contracts and specifications and to co-produce these with the sector
  • The 'live well at home' and 'in your communities' pilot project will enhance prevention and early help service offers