Three quarters of people using West Sussex reablement service need no ongoing care

More than three quarters of people completing a reablement programme in West Sussex required no further ongoing care, according to new figures showing the impact of short-term support in helping people regain their independence.

West Sussex County Council said its reablement service supported more than 2,600 people over the past year following illness, injury or surgery, providing short-term help designed to rebuild people’s confidence and ability to manage everyday life safely at home.

Of those who completed the programme, 76% were able to do so without requiring ongoing care, while 97% of people using the service reported having a positive experience.

Around 126,000 hours of support were delivered during the year, while referrals to the service increased by 17% compared with the previous year. Referrals through community pathways almost trebled.

The service is commissioned by West Sussex County Council and managed by Essex Cares Limited (ECL), with reablement specialists working alongside the council’s Occupational Therapy Team.

Rather than providing long-term support with everyday tasks, reablement aims to help people regain the skills and confidence needed to carry them out independently. This can include support following a hospital stay, illness or accident, with people receiving help to rebuild routines around activities such as washing, dressing, preparing meals and moving safely around their homes.

The approach can help people remain living independently while also reducing demand for longer-term packages of adult social care.

Among those supported was a woman referred to the service following a hospital admission after experiencing several falls. Within a week, she was able to safely use the stairs, shower and dress independently and went on to complete the programme without needing ongoing care.

Another person received support to manage the effect of mental health conditions on her daily life, helping her establish routines around medication, meals and personal care and regain greater confidence and independence.

Councillor Richard Bates, West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults’ Services, said helping people remain independent in their own homes was an important part of supporting healthier and more fulfilling lives.

He said the results demonstrated how personalised support following illness, injury or surgery could improve outcomes for individuals and their families while helping to create more sustainable adult social care services.

Peter Fairley, Managing Director of ECL, said the organisation wants to support considerably more people during the second year of the service and shares the council’s ambition of expanding access to therapy-led community reablement.

The figures come as councils across England continue to face growing demand and financial pressure within adult social care.

West Sussex County Council has allocated £577.2 million to caring for adults and keeping people healthy during 2026/27, with increasing demand for social care among the pressures facing its budget.

Reablement is increasingly seen as an important part of managing that demand by helping people recover their independence before longer-term care becomes necessary.

For the people using the service, however, the outcome is much more immediate. With more than three quarters leaving without an ongoing care requirement, the latest figures suggest relatively short periods of targeted support can make a significant difference to whether someone is able to continue managing independently at home.

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