A different way of doing things? Tony Nottingham

Introducing

Ayesha – a woman aged 42. Has had mental health problems since the age of 19. Was going to go to art school but that’s now a distant dream. Does attend a day centre where she paints but finds it too noisy and stressful.

Peter – a young man with learning difficulties. Loves music. Dreams of being a rock guitarist. Lives with elderly parents. Used to attend a day centre but it’s now closed.

Tom – an elderly man with complex health problems and is now dependent on a team of carers who support him in his own home. Previously managed pubs. Has numerous stories about those days and loves to tell them. Also worries that his grandchildren have only ever known him as a ‘sick old man.’

What’s Changing People entitled to health & social care support can now have personal budgets to meet their needs rather than just be referred to services. Nationwide in respect of social care. Smaller scale at present in respect of health but will expand. ADDASS forecast that 1,000,000 people will have a personal; budget by April

Personal Budgets Must be used to meet agreed outcomes. Cannot be spent on anything illegal, alcohol, gambling or to pay off debts. Otherwise the scope is very broad and the potential enormous.

What does this mean in reality? Instead of getting referred to the nearest ‘best fit’ service, people can use their budgets in creative ways to achieve agreed outcomes. Who provides these services depends on who’s best equipped to help the person achieve their outcomes.

What could it mean? Ayesha can use her budget to pay for private lessons with an artist and thus can build her confidence before joining an art class. Peter employs a personal guitar tutor who also helps him to find other like minded people to play music with. Tom – Works with a local writer to produce his memoirs.

Next steps In order to take advantage of this opportunity, people with skills in the arts need to: Understand what they can offer and how much it costs. Understand who the potential customers are, and how they can be targeted. Who are the potential partners who can add value Understand how progress can be measured.

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