A major £2.4million revamp of services for vulnerable people in Dudley borough has been agreed and will see services delivered based on outcomes for local residents.

Dudley Council is working closely with the Clinical Commissioning Group and other partners as part of the major overhaul of its preventative services to improve the support it provides to help people to live more independently.

It will see the introduction of a Carers One Stop Shop to improve access to support and information and advice.  The plan also includes working closely with the Carers Alliance to raise the profile and importance of carers in the borough, particularly those supporting people with dementia and young carers under the age of 18 who often go unsupported.

A range of venues are being explored to house the single point of access and carers are encouraged to get involved in shaping the service through the Carers Alliance.

There are also plans to reshape services for people with mental health needs to help them live more independently in their community.

The council is also looking to develop an exciting partnership focussing on supporting vulnerable young people bringing together support services such as teenage pregnancy, housing, employment and skills and mental health to avoid duplication between providers and to improve signposting to support.

Around £2.4million is being invested in the change and the move is intended to ensure that help is available to those who need support the most. ​Councillor Qadar Zada, cabinet member for adult social care, said:

“This vision will help our residents to live independently and move away from a culture of dependency on services, we will move from commissioning services to commissioning outcomes.   As a community council we want to make sure people are at the centre of everything we do and these changes are being implemented to focus on wellbeing as well as ill health.  With the budget constraints that central government has imposed and that all local authorities are facing means we have to look differently at the way we deliver all of our services, this will mean reviewing services we have commissioned to get the best for our residents.

“For too long we have commissioned services based on activity now we will move to commissioning services that demonstrate how they are positively changing the lives of our local people.  It's what our residents expect."

The changes are set to be in place by March next year.