The Council and Riverside Housing are building a Short-Term Assessment Unit facility in Sandbrook Road, Ainsdale. The short-term assessment unit is for
- Individuals in difficult times (this could be for many different reasons)
- When a person needs a more detailed assessment, they can stay in the accommodation. This gives us more time to understand them and their needs.
- Placement - Where they live is no longer suitable.
When staying in the unit they will be part of an assessment of their needs so we ‘get it right first time’ when they return to the community. We can then plan and prepare the right move for them, with the right support and suitable housing.
This service will support:
- People with a learning disability and / or autism who have complex care needs and / or behaviours that challenge.
- Young people transitioning to adult services who have complex care needs and / or behaviours that challenge.
- It is expected that more people will need this support in the future.
More information about this can be found in the presentation below.
| Stage 2 - Short Term Assessment Unit Presentation |  (pdf 1.02MB) |
Sandbrook Coproduction Group
We have set up the Sandbrook Coproduction Group to help us to design a new service for people with Learning Disabilities and Autism in Sefton. We want to work together to create and design the best environment for those who will use it.
Here is what we mean by coproduction:
| Co Production Slide | (pdf 88KB) |
We had two meetings face-to-face meetings and an online meeting in September to share more information about the plans for the Short-Term Assessment Unit and to talk about how parents and carers and service users can be part of the design of this new service, including the:
- Decoration and style ideas
- Sensory room design
- Furnishings and lighting
- Outdoor and shared spaces
| Sandbrook Coproduction Group Flyer | (pdf 1.12MB) |
We also had two meetings in October to talk about and share ideas for the Sensory Room and the garden areas and then the furnishings and decoration and the shared spaces.
| Sandbrook Coproduction Group Flyer 2 | (pdf 963KB) |
At the Co-production meeting in October the group shared experiences and best practice examples and creative ideas to make sure the sensory room meets future needs. Things that we cannot change include:
- We cannot spend more than £30k
- Size and layout must meet the room dimensions
- It must have an adult focus
The plan for the garden areas is below:
| Garden areas | (pdf 716KB) |
The group also talked about ideas for the garden areas. The proposal is to split the garden into four zones.
These included:
- Furniture
- Flower and vegetable beds (raised?)
- Equipment (exercise) (fixed or moveable)
- Sensory needs colours and smells
- Quiet zone
Below is also the plan for the apartment rooms. The Co-production Group also discussed ideas for the furnishings and decoration.
| Room areas | (pdf 134KB) |
A summary of the discussions about the sensory room, garden design and furnishing and decoration can be found here:
| Short Term Assessment Unit Summary Of Discussions | (pdf 959KB) |
Although the group has met a few times, you can still get involved. The group met again on Thursday 15th December 2022 from 1pm - 3pm, to look at and agree what we have discussed so far.
| Sandbrook Coproduction Group Flyer Dec 22 (1) | (pdf 1.06MB) |
The next sessions will be to start looking at the care and support. This will be the start of a large piece of work and will be discussed and coproduced over a long period of time.
If you are interested, you are very welcome to get involved with this. We need your thoughts and ideas.
The last meeting took place on Wednesday 1st February, 1.00 - 3.00pm. More information can be found in the flyer below.
| Sandbrook Coproduction Group Feb 23 | (pdf 457KB) |
The meeting started looking at the coproduction of the care and support specification. Below is the feedback from the day and by email. The questions asked at the meeting have been added to the Question and Answer section below.
| Sandbrook Corpoduction Group Participants Feedback 1St Feb 2022 | (pdf 87KB) |
There was a meeting of the Sandbrook project will take place on 25th April, 1.00 - 3.00pm at the Cambridge Rood Community Learning Centre (meeting room to be confirmed). If you would like to come to this meeting or get the link to attend virtually, using ZOOM, please contact Steven Metcalf at steve.metcalf@sefton.gov.uk.
A flyer advertising the April meeting is below.
| Sandbrook Coproduction Group April 2023 | (pdf 269KB) |
Here is the presentation that we will be looking at on the 25th April. This gives a summary of what the coproduction group has done so far and what areas we will be looking at on the 25th April.
| STAU Phase 3 Specification | (pdf 429KB) |
Next meeting of the Sandbrook Coproduction Group
The next meeting will take place on Wednesday 24th May between 6.00 - 8.00pm. This will be an on-line meeting only using ZOOM.
This meeting will focus on outcomes for individuals.
If you or anyone you know would be able to get involved, please contact Steven.metcalf@sefton.gov.uk and a meeting link can be sent to you.
If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to share your thoughts on outcomes for individuals, please email your feedback to Steve at the email address above.
Below is the flyer advertising the meeting. (under construction)
Here is a timetable of when the meetings will take place looking at care and support for the Assessment Unit. It looks at what will be discussed at each of the meetings. (under construction)
Below are the questions we have been asked so far and the response to each question.
Yes, it will be the responsibility of Sefton to appoint the care and support provider.
Yes, there will be a tender process which will take a few months to complete. Tender - Tendering is the process an organisation (council) follows when they need goods or services. The council invites other care and support providers to put forward a proposal or bid to provide these goods/services.
The co-production process will consider the percentage of marks on price and percentage of marks on quality. The right provider is the main thing. It will be a be-spoke specification that will help us to achieve the outcomes for local people.
Not to date but will be asked to look at the care and support specification and information will be provided around the provision to enable them to be part of the holistic approach to ensure service are part of the ongoing provision.
Yes, the specification for the care and support will have minimum skill sets that are required. Other professionals that support the assessment process will have qualifications based on their roles (social care staff for example).
A specification is the set of rules that we will put together that the care and support provider must follow within the “tender”.
No, it will not be a locked unit. The security will be by design to help ensure that it is a safe environment for residents and staff.
Person centred support plans and appropriate risk assessment will be put in place for all individuals who utilise the service. The security by design and subtle features built into the building will help aid safety for all.
Some will and some may utilise the service to bring them closer to home.
The Coproduction group can help make the decisions about flooring.
Yes, the Assessment Unit will have wide doors, suitable for wheelchairs and other mobility aides.
Yes, there will be an accessible toilet and hoist. The separate bathroom will also have a hoist and the apartments will also have ceiling tracking to be able to use hoists, if needed.
The Care and Support Team. If there is a cause to isolate, then there will be an investigation to understand why, and the action taken to stop this from happening again.
There will be door sensors and the door fob can be deactivated. There will be an individual risk assessment for each resident.
Yes, if they want to. The apartments are self-contained and also have assisted technology.
No, the bathrooms all have showers. It will be monitored, and the design of the bathroom will allow for baths to be installed should it be decided that some rooms need a bath. If anyone would like a bath, they can use the separate assisted bathroom facility.
The lighting will be autism friendly.
Yes, there will be televisions in each apartment.
Not sure, there will have been cross over in terms of people being invited to this group who also formed part of the day opportunities group.
Yes, the Asperger’s team have been invited to be involved and they are aware through the involvement in the Autism Subgroup. Where appropriate the Asperger's team will be involved in an assessment.
The Assessment Unit will be the last because we do not want any construction happening at the time of people living there. We anticipate that it will take approximately two years from planning to being ready for people to start being assessed. We want to make sure that the care staff are fully trained and familiar with the building.
The mobilisation period for the service provider will be 6 – 9 months. This will allow the provider to recruit and train staff and be ready for when the unit is opened.
We will need to have the specification for care and support ready for 9 – 12 months’ time. Once the specification is ready it will be agreed and will be part of the tendering process for the service provider.
Yes, absolutely, this will be part of the ongoing coproduction group and monitoring of the service.
CQC will regulate this service. We will also be working with Sefton Healthwatch too.