Adult Social Care policies and strategies
In this section you can learn about our main plans and strategies that help guide our work and our work with partners in delivering social care and health services across the borough.
Adult Social Care
Gateshead Autism Strategy 2025-2030
This autism strategy sets our priorities and plans for the next five years (2025-2030) across Gateshead's local authority, health and voluntary sector organisations.
With an overarching multi-agency Autism Board to steer the work, each priority will have its own working group. Membership across both the board and working groups will include those with lived experience as active members. The work of the Autism Board will be overseen by Gateshead's Health and Wellbeing Board.
View the Gateshead Autism Strategy 2025-2030
Integrated Adults and Social Care Services (IASCS) Department Plan and Delivery Plan
Our single departmental plan sets out our ambitions to 2028 and provides a baseline to monitor progress and improvement. This was developed using learning from what we know internally, from a regional sector led improvement review and seeking the views of those colleagues in the VCSE sector via our People at the Heart of Care forum.
It focuses on 8 key themes and links to other Council strategic plans including Thrive and the Health and Wellbeing Board strategy.
We will be reviewing and reporting on our progress annually.
View the Integrated Adults and Social Care Services (IASCS) Department Plan and Delivery Plan
Our Local Account for Adult Social Care 2023-2024
The local account is produced annually and is designed to provide our residents and people who need social care support, their families and, people who provide care with an update on adult social care in Gateshead.
Our Local Account for Adult Social Care reflects on the progress against the priorities we set at the start of 2023 in our strategy and delivery plan, together with information about improvements we are making achievements we made.
View the Local Account for Adult Social Care 2023-2024
You can also download a pdf version of the Local Account for Adult Social Care 2023-2024 (PDF, 594 KB)(opens new window)
Our Adult Caregivers Strategy
The Caregivers Partnership Board has developed to a new strategy which reflects the current needs of caregivers in Gateshead. This is a joint Council and North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) Strategy.
Consultation activity for the new strategy took place between 2021-2023, and a panel of caregivers were recruited to shape the scope and direction of the new strategy.
In the Adult Caregivers Strategy, the word 'caregiver' is used to describe someone who provides unpaid care. Most respondents to the Gateshead Carers Association 2020 survey (60%) did not like being referred to as 'carers' because 'carer' is often used to describe paid care workers. Members of the Partnership Board suggested caregiver as an alternative, as it emphases the 'giving' of time and care in a voluntary capacity.
The Partnership Board is made up of members from across the Gateshead System including: ICB, Caregivers Services, Voluntary Organisations, Healthwatch, Adults and Children's Social Care, and Health Trusts.
Following engagement with caregivers and consultation with the Partnership Board, 5 new strategic priorities were outlined:
- information and advice
- valuing caregivers
- money and finances
- employment and education
- health of caregivers
View our Adult Caregivers Strategy 2024-2029 or download a pdf version (PDF, 4 MB)(opens new window).
Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) (opens new window) helps us to understand the key issues facing people in Gateshead and is used to identify key strategic priorities to improve the health and wellbeing of our population. The key ongoing challenges and emerging issues to health and wellbeing in Gateshead are presented across the life course.