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The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and Northgate Public Services have signed a new three-year innovation partnership aimed at promoting and encouraging information exchange between the public and private sectors to deliver positive social care outcomes.

The agreement was officially recognised at the ADASS annual spring seminar in Surrey last month. It enhances the close relationship between the body that represents the top tier of adult social care and a leading provider of health and social care solutions during a period of major change - in practice, in process and mind-set.

The two organisations at the forefront of the Transforming Social Care agenda will coordinate their activities at a time when the implications of self-directed support have created significant changes for all those who work in adult social care. Under the terms of the agreement, ADASS and Northgate will work together to provide complementary support including policy exchange, business planning development and website support. The partnership is set to run until 2011.

Jenny Owen, President of ADASS and executive director for adults, health and community wellbeing with Essex County Council said: “Putting People First is a wide and challenging agenda which requires a coordinated approach from all those working in social care. This partnership confirms our commitment to working innovatively to help deliver community-based options for people receiving publicly funded care and support. Northgate will work with our members to reinforce the significant moves towards personal budgets and direct payments which can support all people in need and those with complex and many needs.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services added: “We are committed to citizen-based social services which focus on positive health outcomes and citizen satisfaction. We are delighted that we have formed this partnership with ADASS. The challenges for the social care community over the next years are enormous. We believe that our work with ADASS will help us to innovate and to ensure that our services support effective and efficient social care and reach out to all those in our communities who have need.”

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; 07966 890401
ADASS
Drew Clode 020 8348 5023; 07976 837755

Notes to editors

1. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) represents all the directors of adult social services in England and Northern Ireland. It evolved from the former ADSS (Association of Directors of Social Services) when responsibilities for adults and children’s services within top tier local authorities were split between two new departments - the one for adults and the other for children. ADASS brings together the accumulated wisdom and understanding of the way services for adults are managed and financed as well as inputs from a widening responsibility for housing, leisure, library, culture and, in some case, arts and sports facilities. Its members are responsible for providing or commissioning, through the activities of their departments, the wellbeing, protection and care of hundreds of thousands of elderly and disabled people, as well as for the promotion of that wellbeing and protection wherever it is needed.

2. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology, and to share in the economic and social benefits that this brings. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. In social care, Northgate works with forty per cent of local authorities supporting adult social care and children’s services.