The perspective of lived experience Martin Yates National Co-Production Advisory Group members
Next steps for personalisation from the point of view of people who use services 15 June 2016
The Care Act 2014 We all know that personalisation is embedded in the Care Act, but is personalisation working on the ground?
The Answer Personalisation can and does work, but not all of the time. Since the Care Act became law in April 2015, some people who use services have experienced difficulties accessing personal budgets or more to the point, maintaining their personal budgets.
The Barriers A lot of people are having to go through hoops to either access or keep their personal budgets. By going through hoops we mean the assessment or review process. Some local authorities seemed to think after 1 April 2015 everyone had to be reassessed.
My Experience I have managed my own support for nearly 30 years so over that time. I have had many reviews and some reassessments. My last review took place in April 2015, so I thought that since the Care Act was in force it would all be fine, straight forward and quick.
WRONG!!!!!!!!!!! First of all the correspondence was talking about a reassessment which I pointed out SHOULD be a review. Following the visit, which seemed to go fine, I received an email saying I now needed to have a Continuing Health Care (CHC) assessment, which another person would need to come out to do.
Plus we all had to consider whether staying in my own home was the best option, or whether I should go into supported living or a care home. Anyone who knows me knows that is not going to happen. I took control and wrote an impact statement using the Care Act to back me up. I am still in my own home where I plan to stay until they carry me out in a box.
Next Steps for personalisation Policy needs to be put into practice, local authorities need to start really thinking and looking ‘outside the box’. People who use services need to be made aware of their entitlements in respect of the Care Act and personalisation.