Personalisation, Direct Payments & Individual Budgets - an answer?

[hmfsli]

The new agenda for Social Care is all about personalisation. As I understand the concept this means that services should be specifically tailored to the individual and that the individual and/or their carers should be involved in deciding what services they receive. In theory I think this means that no one should say to an individual or their carer 'you have to do this, there is no other option'. This may be the answer for those who are being told that residential care is the only way to go for their loved one. The money that the council would have paid for residential care is allocated to the individual and the individual chooses which services they wish to purchase.

It is worth checking what is happening in your area - under the 'Putting People First' agenda local councils are meant to have had 30% of their care users on a personal budget by April of this year but I gather that quite a few won't have done this. Check out this link for more information:- communitycare.co.uk/Article...

Hope this is helpful.

[jillannf6]

hi hmfsli

i have just had a personal biudget by direct payments agreed with the local council - and my care increased to 7 hrs per week-with a different agency , recommended on the psp forum site Home InsteadCarewwhich is a franchise operated concern.

The same carer is coming to me each day which is great as previosuly it w as anyone at all apart from one carer who did tues and wed (when she was not on holiday)

Intially help had to b personal care only but can now include shopping -either to the local smkt (as i no longer drive ),or farther afield

good newsj

jill

[hmfsli in reply to jillannf6]

Hi Jill,

It is great to hear that you are getting the help you need. Are the agency acting as a broker for your direct payments?

hmfsli