What this consultation is about
We're consulting on proposals to refocus the scope of the Derbyshire Healthy Home Project (DHHP) which we currently operate.
The Derbyshire Healthy Home Project supports people with long-term health conditions made worse by the cold to stay well and warm at home.
The project predominantly supports people with eligible care needs to identify heating solutions via nationally available grants.
However, councillors will hear that over time the project has moved beyond its original remit and now provides additional assistance and supports many people who do not have eligible care needs.
Our Best Life Derbyshire transformation puts people at the heart of adult social care. We’re committed to helping people in Derbyshire lead independent lives, at home and in their local communities for as long as they can.
However, like many other councils across the country, we're facing financial pressures outside our control. These include inflationary pressures, meeting the cost of the national pay award and increasing demand on services which means we must make significant savings to continue to balance the books. This is why we are reviewing all our spending and looking at providing many services in different, more efficient ways.
We are proposing to review and redesign the Derbyshire Healthy Home Project.
We have 3 proposals.
Proposal 1
To remodel the service, which we would continue to provide, to a more targeted offer funded by surplus revenue created via the OfGem grant application and approval process. This service would focus on supporting people who can demonstrate they have a low income (on housing benefits for example), a long-term health condition made worse by the cold and have eligible social care needs.
Proposal 2
We will cease to operate the service and will work collaboratively with local district and borough councils to relocate the service, or a revised model of this service, to them as housing authorities to administer themselves or via another agency.
Proposal 3
To decommission the service so this no longer operates at all and devolve to a third-party provider a signposting and support offer to people to enable access to support via OfGem grants and the wider health and social care system.
On 25 July 2024 Cabinet approved a public consultation to take place on the proposed 3 options for the future options for the Derbyshire Healthy Homes Project. The Cabinet report can be found at agenda item 7 on the Cabinet agenda 25 July 2024.
We want your views on the proposals and would like to hear from as many affected organisations, stakeholders and members of the public as possible so please complete the questionnaire and tell us what you think about the change that we're proposing.