The key themes for the 2010 conference chime with the likely agenda of the incoming government.

There is a shared aspiration to increase the diversity of service provision and range of choice; to improve services; to promote independence; to take care closer to home and to reduce the reliance on institutional forms of care and support, while improving the quality of life for vulnerable people. But how will these changes impact on the vulnerable people who have relied on supported housing services? Is the recent progress in supporting more vulnerable and hard to reach groups being put at risk?

Speakers will address the following key issues.

  • How can citizens be given a more effective role in the design and management of housing and related services?
  • How can housing providers rise to the challenges?
  • What role can commissioners play in helping to create new supported housing options to meet the personalisation agendas?
  • How can we work better with health services to improve access to housing?
  • How can local agencies deliver a focus on vulnerable people in the face of the public expenditure squeeze?

Aims of the conference

This conference will ask how we can mainstream good practice into daily reality at both the strategic commissioning level and also for service users and staff on the frontline. It will help participants:

  • translate the key messages from the housing, health and social care agendas to foster a common agenda
  • explore the challenges of improving services to deliver the right outcomes for vulnerable people
  • identify the opportunities to commission innovative services that work - learning from best practice examples - to deliver positive outcomes 
  • assess the strengths and weaknesses of their local situation "
  • contribute to setting the local agenda of next steps to be tackled.

The conference brings together speakers from central government, national providers, policy institutes and local authorities to consider the implications of modernising public services to provide a more personalised response. This is a major national conference with the aim of helping people to share their experiences and learn about what is happening in other parts of the country.

Key themes

Responding to the impending crisis in public expenditure will focus minds and be a key theme for this conference. It will become even more critical to the sustainability of the supported housing sector to:

  • address personalisation in giving citizens a more effective voice
  • win the efficiency, value for money and cost benefit arguments while preparing for swingeing cuts "
  • gain the attention and support of corporate policy makers responsible for the LAA and the Comprehensive Area Assessment "
  • develop close working relationships with health to be able to demonstrate the key impacts of supported housing in delivering health gains.

We will also feature other themes in the conference programme:

  • the need for innovation - changing provider responses to the policy context and developing market situation
  • manage performance for delivering agreed and targeted outcomes
  • learning lessons from abroad
  • developing new forms.

Speakers at the event

  • Gary Lashko Chief Executive, Carr-Gomm
  • Jeff Jerome National Director Social Care Transitions, Department of Health
  • Richard O'Driscoll Head of Older People's Commissioning, Cambridgeshire NHS
  • Nick Welch Head of Major Programmes, Social Community Services, Oxfordshire County Council
  • Rob Griffiths Principal Advisor Efficiency Strategy and Planning, CSED and New Path Consulting
  • Dan Short Consultant, CSED, Department of Health
  • Domini Pein-Gunn National Lead for Vulnerable Communities in Housing, Audit Commission
  • Les Clarke Director of Strategy and Service Development, Housing 21

Who should attend

The focus is on commissioners and housing providers, as well as those who sign off local commissioning plans in Local Area Agreements and Crime Reduction Partnerships.

  • Directors and senior managers in housing departments
  • Social housing providers
  • Voluntary organisations working with vulnerable and homeless people
  • Homelessness and resettlement organisations
  • Service commissioners in social care, health and supporting people
  • Representatives from government offices
  • Strategic health authorities
  • NHS trusts
  • Members of local strategic partnerships
  • Senior civil servants from the Department of Health and Communities and Local Government

Workshops

A. Extra care housing strategy and health engagement
B. Mental health and accommodation
C. Implications for general needs and supported housing providers in implementing the strategy
D. CSED and New Path Consulting – practical strategies for improving the business case for supported housing

Pricing

£ 255.00 + VAT for Public sector/NHS/Educational/Charity/Local gov/vol orgs - One day rate
£ 295.00 + VAT for Central gov/private orgs
£ 195.00 + VAT for Unwaged/student/small vol orgs