People Power – Our Health, Our Care, Our Say
Direct payments were introduced ten years ago but the uptake is unfortunately still limited by sometimes narrow definitions of what social care is and how the money can be spent as well as some professional prejudice. To tackle the low uptake the government launched a national campaign to improve awareness and understanding of direct payments, and local authorities have been challenged to promote more innovation and creativity in providing options for meeting peoples’ needs.
There are many good examples of how direct payments have been used to improve the lives of people who use social care services. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) lists several case studies of how direct payments are evolving and being used by people to pay for new services that support them in their everyday activities.
For example some client stories taken from SCIE Adult Services Resource Guide for direct payments highlight ways in which direct payments are funding support for service users who require help to manage their finances.
Alongside direct payments, the Government is trialling a new concept called Individual Budgets that is seen by many as a new way of delivering the
freedom of direct payments without the associated difficulties, and providing a greater holistic approach to a person’s needs. Funding for services can be drawn from a number of routes depending upon the service users’ requirements.
Thirteen local authorities are piloting the new form of self-directed support that can draw on several different funding streams to create greater choice and give more control back to the service user about who provides their care package. The pilot began in 2006 and there are a significant number of people who are already benefiting from the new approach.
At a recent Direct Payments national conference in Manchester, there were stories of people involved in the Individual Budgets pilot scheme demonstrating how the integrated Outcome Assessment carried out by local authorities applies a priority rating to each aspect of the care plan. The Individual Budget for a number of service users included help with housing related tasks such as paying bills and claiming benefits.
The results of the pilot will be published in 2008 and it is clear that the direction of the Government is towards more self-directed support for social care service users and how individual budgets can improve outcomes and expand choice and control within existing resources.
There are many good examples of how direct payments have been used to improve the lives of people who use social care services. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) lists several case studies of how direct payments are evolving and being used by people to pay for new services that support them in their everyday activities.
For example some client stories taken from SCIE Adult Services Resource Guide for direct payments highlight ways in which direct payments are funding support for service users who require help to manage their finances.
Alongside direct payments, the Government is trialling a new concept called Individual Budgets that is seen by many as a new way of delivering the
Thirteen local authorities are piloting the new form of self-directed support that can draw on several different funding streams to create greater choice and give more control back to the service user about who provides their care package. The pilot began in 2006 and there are a significant number of people who are already benefiting from the new approach.
At a recent Direct Payments national conference in Manchester, there were stories of people involved in the Individual Budgets pilot scheme demonstrating how the integrated Outcome Assessment carried out by local authorities applies a priority rating to each aspect of the care plan. The Individual Budget for a number of service users included help with housing related tasks such as paying bills and claiming benefits.
The results of the pilot will be published in 2008 and it is clear that the direction of the Government is towards more self-directed support for social care service users and how individual budgets can improve outcomes and expand choice and control within existing resources.