Adapting for a lifetime - The key role of home improvement agencies in adaptations delivery

This new report from Foundations, the national body for Home Improvement Agencies (HIA) identifies examples of good practice and innovation within the HIA sector and their partnerships with local authorities, but also makes that point that many adaptations services across the country are failing, and the combination of funding shortages and long waiting lists means that services are unable to meet the needs of disabled people.

The report sets out a number of ways that HIAS can lead the challenge to improve adaptations services within the budget constraints which are bound to have an impact in the next few years. Chapters look at:

• the context for changing our approach to adaptations
• results of research carried out by Foundations, including sector surveys in conducted in 2008 and 2009
• stretching adaptations budgets through recycling equipment, getting better prices from suppliers, encouraging the re-use of adapted accommodation, and more flexible use of funding
• improving adaptations processes through comparing with others and re-engineering processes, as well as working better with other professionals involved in the process
• moving from a provider-led to a user-led process - already a key strength of the home improvement agency approach - the chapter links adaptations work to other key Future HIA themes of supporting choice and offering a broad range of options at an early stage, and
• demonstrating the value of adaptations to commissioners, which focuses on the importance of monitoring outcomes and also gives a number of case studies illustrating the breakthroughs being made in linking the preventative benefits of adaptations services with wider health and care funding agendas.