Market Position Statement 2025 - 2040 Community-Based Services - Overview

Overview Of Key Walsall Council Commissioned Community-Based Services

Signposting at the Adult Social Care front door to community-based services not financed by Adult Social Care is a critical part of Adult Social Care’s approach to enabling people to maximise their independence without the need for formal support until the point that eligible care needs are assessed and supported by the Adult Social Care.

An estimated 20% of all contacts to adult social care result in an individual being signposted to another service such as GPs, community pendant alarms and housing associations.

 With reduced resources and increases in demand, it is critical that people are supported as much as possible in their homes and communities by agencies other than formal adult social care. There are eligible needs under the Care Act 2014 that Adult Social Care will support but this is after people’s independence has been maximised through other means. This is a crucial element of our demand management strategy and aim to support people to maximise their own independence before coming into longer-term care. 

On 30/09/2024, Adult Social Care community-based service user numbers were up by 4.0% from the same time the previous year at 2,564 in total. Of the 2,564 people receiving a long-term service as at 30/09/2024, 1,481 were receiving homecare (5.9% higher than on 31/03/2024). This figure is now up to 1691 people receiving Walsall Council commissioned homecare as of Spring 2025.

Table showing the rise in the number of community-based service users in receipt of Walsall Adult Social Care commissioned services year on year

Homecare

In terms of commissioned homecare services, there has been growth since May 2023 to September 2024 and upwards since then in the number of homecare users.

It shows the large proportion of users being older people age 65+ followed by mental health homecare, complex homecare and Continuing Health Care homecare. It shows average costs of homecare has increased slightly over time for different forms of homecare (single and double handed). An estimated 29.5% of homecare packages for under 65 years of age require

double-handed care and an estimated 38.7% of homecare packages for over 65 years of age require double handed care.

Table showing the increase over time of homecare service users in receipt of Walsall Adult Social Care commissioned homecare.