A greater proportion of West Sussex residents will soon be able to access reablement care to enable them to live independently for longer. This includes those with learning disabilities or mental health needs as well as older people.
The county council has re-commissioned its Community Reablement Service as part of a significant investment and expansion of the service and awarded the new contract to Essex Care Limited (ECL), with the new service starting on 1 April 2025.
The contract will almost double current provision to deliver 2,000 hours of support each week to enable more people to benefit and regain independence. It is envisioned that demand for the service will grow through the four to six-year contract, which has the potential to deliver 5,000 hours of support each week.
It marks a continuation of the partnership between the county council and ECL, with the care company having co-delivered support since 2012. The council’s Regaining Independence Service (RIS) has also benefitted from investment in its growing team of occupational therapists, who will work in partnership with ECL for those who need therapeutic support.
Reablement is a short-term care service, usually provided at home, to help people get their lives back on track and retain or regain daily living skills following an illness, injury, hospital stay, bereavement or a deterioration in a person’s ability to manage. 73% of people who access reablement services are able to live independently afterwards without formal support. *
People eligible for reablement referral must:
• be aged 18 years old or over
• be resident in West Sussex
• have a primary social care reabling need, medically fit and not require nursing support
• have a cognitive capacity to consent and engage with a reablement programme as assessed
• be individuals who are not at the “end of life” care stage i.e. not within an expected final 4 weeks of life.
Cllr Amanda Jupp, Cabinet Member for Adults Services, said: “I am very pleased that the council has taken such important steps to secure and extend reablement care support for West Sussex residents. Retaining independence to enable people to live the life they want to lead is core to our adults’ social care strategy.
“There’s a common misconception that reablement is only for people who have been recently discharged from hospital and is part of the reason why the service has updated its criteria to emphasise that reablement is an inclusive service and isn’t diagnosis-dependent. In addition, the referral process has also been streamlined to speed up people’s receipt of reablement care.
“Reablement also supports Our Council Plan’s goal of keeping people safe from vulnerable situations, by building on a person's strengths.”
Joe Coogan, ECL Chief Operating Officer, added: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to continue to provide reablement services to the people of West Sussex. While we have been successfully delivering reablement care in the region since 2012, this new contract is bigger than before, which is really exciting.
The launch coincides with a new service approach and guidance to encourage Adults’ Services and Health staff to think ‘Why Not Reablement?’ when considering alternative care options.
Find out more information about the council’s reablement care services by visiting the West Sussex Connect to Support website.
* Median figure taken from 2024-2025 data over a period of 10 months.
