A 'unique partnership' between Dorset Council and the Department of Health is looking to shape national changes in how care is provided.

The local authority was selected to work with the government department to look at how residents currently get referred into adult social care and how their experiences could be improved.

It is hoped that what is discovered could be used nationally to influence the way people access social care in the future and create new ways of working for older people, those with a learning difficulty, or those with mental health needs.

A team from the government department’s Digital Policy Unit will be working with the Adult Social Care and digital teams until the New Year.

The team will make recommendations at the end of the 12-week partnership.

As part of the fact-finding partnership, which includes asking questions of those who use the service, new models will be suggested and tested in a bid to find a solution for residents and the council.

The work is part of government reforms to care costs that, from October 2023, changes how much residents will pay towards their care and will introduce a cap on care charges.

Dorset Council said this means interactions with local authorities will 'fundamentally change' and that 'all solutions are being considered'.

Councillor Peter Wharf, cabinet member for Adult Social Care and Health, said innovative solutions were needed for residents now and in the future.

He said: “Dorset Council is leading the country’s response to the very difficult issue of adult social care.

“We are at the forefront of this early work around what, and how, changes can be made to the way people interact with council to get the best option for adult social care, for them.

“More solutions to adult social care are being found online independently by residents and families, and this could mean the resources at the council can be directed to residents who need it the most.

“This partnership is great for an ambitious council committed to embracing technology and smart ways of working which meet the aspirations for residents to be at the heart of their own care provision.

"We should be proud to be making this contribution for the benefit of residents and all local authorities.”