Neighbourhood Care needs and capabilities in Moulsecoomb, and Bevendean Ward

July 2014 | Authors: Kate Bloor (lead), Vahsti Hale (editing and advice), Donald Shier (advice

and support) (KNV Research - www.knvresearch.com ; kate@knvresearch.com)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Aims and methods

Information and data, and discussion Conclusion

Source: Moulsecoomb Forrest Garden Project

Executive summary: Aims and methods This research project aims to set out the ‘social care needs’ for Moulsecoomb to look at the

potential of developing a neighbourhood-care project in the area. The focus was on adults in the area and their care needs, which was defined very broadly as being any needs that might be ‘relevant to a neighbourhood care project’.

This research also looks at the characteristics of the community, and geographical position of Moulsecoomb in relation to a neighbourhood care project and its aims.

Socio-economic and other secondary data sources in the public domain and provided by state agencies were used. Where possible, local knowledge and sources of data were also included.

Interviews with local residents, stakeholders and/or community development and other workers were undertaken and are included.

Executive summary: Information and data, and discussion

Information is presented for the ward (Moulsecoomb and Bevendean together) or for Moulsecoomb ‘only’. Any data relates to 2011 (or estimates based on that) - unless otherwise indicated. The summary

does not provide references to sources, as this is available in other sections.

Local participation - Consultation with local people, community leaders, and local community workers:

Whilst Moulsecoomb and the surrounding ward contain communities within them are experiencing social problems, there is a strong sense of identity with the local area - and a commitment to improving quality of life for themselves and others.

The awareness of these local issues in itself provides a good platform for developing community commitment to a community/neighbourhood care project.

Behind ‘dissatisfaction’ with services and an ‘awareness’ of local needs amongst the community, lies the potential to cooperate with organisations working towards improving the quality of life of local people.

Some of these issues are explored in a Scarman trust research project looking at different aspects of participation in Moulsecoomb and Bevendean in 2008.

Housing:

Moulsecoomb (and the Ward of Moulsecoomb and Bevendean) has a distinct housing mix which reflects its history. It is characterised by having a higher proportion of social housing including council housing, than surrounding areas, and a lower proportion of home ownership, and some degree of overcrowding.

Only 34.1% of households in Moulsecoomb are now ‘social rented’ whilst 36.8% are owned by the occupants and 26.7% of households are privately rented, and a small percentage of households are shared ownership (1.2%).

It still remains primarily a council house area, with the rental portion mostly taken by subletting to students within the private rented sector given its close proximity to the universities. One third of households include council tenants, whose circumstances socio- economically will vary considerably.

Privately owned housing may also provide a more stable community which may also add to the

potential for local commitment and volunteering, to contribute to a good quality-of-life for vulnerable residents in the area.

There is also a large amount of multi-occupied rented accommodation (which would include students), which is indicative of a more transient group of residents.

Access to transport:

For the area of Moulsecoomb, 39.8% of households have no access to a car. This equals 1750 households and a much greater number of people. At least four in ten people in the area cannot easily get to and from the area, without using public transport, transport assistance from other members of the community, or without the expense of taxis.

Moulsecoomb is a very isolated area, and there are poor transport links particularly with regards to the needs for sick or disabled people, and other vulnerable groups. The community transport scheme is targeted at disabled people, but it is not yet clear how well known or well used this service is in this particular area.

This physical isolation would aggravate an existing problems that people within the community have, and provide the basis for lack of access to relevant services.

(source : locdriver.co.uk)

Ethnicity:

22% of people in Moulsecoomb, are from a black or another minority ethnic group (BME), overall fairly similar to Brighton and Hove as a whole.

It is currently not clear if these are mainly students, or more permanent residents.

Isolation and poor transport, lack of connection with other communities might aggravate the kinds of problems already experienced by BME individuals or families.

This would suggest that ethnic minority issues around care, caring and so on need to be considered carefully for this area. This would include such issues as cultural needs, language needs as well as other dimensions of care and service provision related to a new neighbourhood care project.

Unemployment income and deprivation:

(Similarly to the ward area) One out of three households (32.1% of households in the Moulsecoomb area in 2011) was deprived on one or more dimensions.

People in the ward (Moulsecoomb and Bevendean) had a lower weekly income compared to the south-east overall. Many families are living on very low levels of income.

The percentage of older people in deprivation is higher in the Ward compared to the city as a whole, such that one in four elderly people suffering from deprivation.

Whilst the long-term unemployment rate, is similar to England in the ward area, there are higher number of residents that are ‘economically inactive’. This may be due to a number of factors or reasons, including the possibility that many people in the area are carers.

People in the ward who are working, are less likely to be in full-time employment, and more likely to work part-time, which would have implications on their income levels.

Source: Sussex community foundation

Health and disability, use of services:

A higher proportion of people in the ward were admitted to hospital (for all causes) in an ‘emergency’ compared to England overall.

Emergency admissions related to coronary heart disease and lung cancer were also higher in the ward than for England. Emergency admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were also very high

Emergency hospital admissions for hip fracture in the over 75’s is greater than the average for England.

Only 26% of older people in Brighton think that they will ‘get the help they need to continue living at home for as long as they want to’, suggesting a demand for improved provision, to enable them to do so.

15.7% of usual residents (2,100 people), feel their day-to-day activities are ‘limited a lot’, or ‘a little’ by a long-term health problem or disability. 5.5% of residents (744 people) feel they have ‘bad or very bad health’.

One in twenty (4.7%) of ‘normal residents’ (507 people) in Moulsecoomb only, are economically inactive because they are sick or disabled.

Poor health can cause or exacerbate problems related to low income and opportunities, and can contribute to a circle of deprivation for local individuals and families.

Data suggest that there are substantial numbers of disabled, sick and/or elderly people who are vulnerable given the isolation in the area and may have difficulties accessing services.

This suggests that a neighbourhood care service would be ideally placed to alleviate some of these problems and give help to those who are vulnerable.

Mental health:

‘East’ Brighton - which contains the Ward Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, has been highlighted in a 2008 strategic planning assessment for mental health in Brighton and Hove, as being in need of targeted mental health services.

Clearly the isolation of the area, both physically and socially, may exacerbate mental health problems for those at risk. Mental health may be linked to other social factors in the area such as unemployment, physical health, deprivation, etc.

In general we need to know more about the profile of mental health service use, mental health issues and problems for people in Moulsecoomb. There is little information easily available.

Establishing the mental health needs for Moulsecoomb could be included as part of any neighbourhood care project set up.

Learning difficulties:

There is little detailed easily available information about residents in Moulsecoomb who have learning difficulties or are using social services - whether they are children young people or adults.

However, the local organisation Amaze has a database which provides some information about the ages of children and young people in the Ward, with learning difficulties using their services. There are number of schools and facilities for children and young people with learning difficulties in the area, serving both local residents and those from outside.

Given the isolation of Moulsecoomb and its socio-economic profile, those people with learning difficulties living there are likely to experience additional problems, both psychologically and in other respects.

More knowledge is needed about the needs of people with learning difficulties to look at the potential benefit that the neighbourhood care service in this area could have.

(source : moulsecoomb.sch.uk)

Carers:

One in eleven people in the ward have ongoing caring responsibilities, which includes those caring for children or young people, with long-term mental or physical health problems. This is a greater proportion than for the Brighton and Hove area as a whole.

A higher proportion of normal residents in the Ward are ‘economically inactive’ - due to the fact they are ‘looking after a family or home’.

One in eleven residents, (8.7%; 1157 residents in total) have caring responsibilities of between one and fifty hours per week.

Local carers spend more time providing care compared to those in Brighton and Hove and the south-east. More than one quarter of carers, or 333 people in Moulsecoomb - provide between 20 and 50 hours of unpaid caring per week.

Similarly to the whole of the city, 4.4% of people in Moulsecoomb only are economically inactive ‘whilst looking after the home or family’. This is 474 people in this local area, or almost one in twenty (2011).

Those people who are looking after the home (and are economically inactive) include only some of the people who have caring responsibilities. The responsibilities for carer’s often lie alongside the need to work, and this provides an extra set of pressures on families.

Levels of formal care provided within Moulsecoomb, indicate these areas contain people who would benefit from a neighbourhood care service in this area.

Age elderly and young people:

Source: Moulsecoomb Forrest Garden Project

Analysis of ward data shows that the proportion of young people (between 16 and 24) in the whole population is double compared to the city of Brighton as a whole.

Data show a similar proportion of people over the age of 65 in the ward compared to Brighton and Hove (excluding adults under 24 years). However, there are a higher percentage of pensioners living alone in the ward compared to England overall.

Many of the young people living in the area are students and this is due to the letting and subletting of houses in the area given its relatively low rental cost, and its close proximity to the University.

More than one in twelve households (8.3%) contains an elderly person over 65 living alone, in the Moulsecoomb area.

Young people in the ward may provide voluntary help, and form part of the neighbourhood care project. Also, there are clearly elderly people living alone in the ward and in the local area, which this project could support.

Other issues:

Other issues that are relevant to the need for a neighbourhood care service include issues around access to good quality and affordable food (exacerbated by poor transport).

In addition, people from vulnerable groups would find it difficult to obtain suitable food. There is also an additional issue about ‘fuel poverty’ locally, where more than one in ten households are ‘fuel poor’, in the city overall.

Executive summary: Conclusions

The data from Moulsecoomb (and Bevendean) suggests that it is a deprived area with parts of the

community experiencing low income, low economic activity and poor health.

The environment of Moulsecoomb, in terms of transport and its isolation, and other related issues may create or exacerbate problems for local people who impact on a lack of life opportunities, their health and use of services.

Access to more specialised healthcare will continue to be a problem for those who find it difficult to access transport, and this will be a particular issue for those with more complex health needs amongst vulnerable groups and individuals

Whilst there are issues around deprivation in the area, there are potential opportunities for engaging local people in neighbourhood care projects; those who have a particular community interest, young people or those who are economically inactive (although many of those who are economically inactive could also be carers).

Carers have needs in their own right, and caring responsibilities can impact on their ability to work, the ability to maintain their own health. Caring for others in a neighbourhood that is physically isolated and where it’s more difficult to access specialised services, will be a challenge for carers.

A neighbourhood care service can to some extent relieve these pressures, and enable the access of other services appropriately as well as providing support for the carer. This can be done via signposting to other services, or through providing support for the vulnerable person.

Carers may also be a source of local support for neighbourhood care in a variety of different ways. There will be some who enjoy caring and wish to contribute more to the community. Carers can tell other local people about the neighbourhood care project, and engage with those in need locally to

access it.

Given the nature of the needs of communities in the area and its isolation, a neighbourhood care project will greatly enhance the lives of both volunteers, and those receiving advice and help through this project. This is likely to be particularly true if a community involvement approach is taken to service development of this kind.

Parts of this area are a stable community who are likely to respond well to such a scheme, if it focuses on their specific needs in the right kind of way. A partnership approach with local people, and local community groups and organisations, to design and deliver neighbourhood care service is most likely to succeed.

The neighbourhood care scheme will also aim to meet the needs of those from BME groups, and will link with local communities groups to assess their needs. More work needs to be done to identify the nature of care needs, within these communities.

The neighbourhood care scheme could draw on the experience of people from different ethnic groups within Moulsecoomb, to improve and inform its own approach, to providing support and advice to other people.