Smoother service after 800 social care staff move into community

Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Michael Gosling

Older people are getting a smoother service after more than 800 social care staff moved into the heart of their communities.

Surrey County Council has finished installiing social workers and other staff caring for older people in the offices of all 11 boroughs and districts alongside police officers.

It means workers link up more effectively with teams in local councils providing services like dial-a-ride transport, home improvements for the disabled or meals on wheels and are closer to the people they care for.

The approach is part of the county council’s agenda of getting everyone pulling together to benefit Surrey.

Michael Gosling, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, said: “This is about the public sector pulling together to make Surrey stronger. By integrating our services, we ensure public buildings are used cost effectively and, most importantly, vulnerable people get better support.”

Surrey’s office-sharing programme was launched in 2011 when staff moved into Guildford’s headquarters and was completed with the move to Waverley’s offices.