Personalisation Challenges and opportunities for carers Heléna Herklots

Personalisation: Challenges and opportunities for carers Heléna Herklots Chief Executive, Carers UK

• A movement, across the UK, towards giving families more flexibility, choice and control • Terminology can be confusing: ‘selfdirected support’, ‘direct payments’, ‘personalisation’, ‘personal budgets’

When control of budgets is given to disabled people it changes the way that support is organised, which can be better for carers Direct payments can be paid to the carer for their own needs

Carers UK survey 2008 ‘Choice or Care’ • success stories • but satisfaction rates fell between 2008 and 2011 • will look at situation in 2015

‘The key is flexibility’ My mother isn't always comfortable with strangers providing the personal part of her care. Direct payments allow me to buy help around the house, which I couldn't previously access under our old care package. The key is flexibility - my mother's needs change and the services we buy with direct payments can change with them and fit around us.

The opportunities: • More flexibility and control • Better outcomes for most people • Ability to choose what you want • More free time or at least the same levels • Opportunity to grow new and different supports or buy into mainstream services

The challenges: • regulation and too prescriptive • admin heavy • Budget pressures (cuts) are passed on to carers • Local authorities’ responsibilities • fragmented services without economies of scale

New developments The Care Act 2014 in England brings in new duties around personal budgets and enshrines this in law. The Care Act 2014 is due to be implemented in April 2015, followed a year later by similar provisions in Wales.

Personal budgets apply both to people needing care and support and carers who need support to fulfil their needs. In the Care Act there is also a new flexibility in the law which allows a family member to be paid for administering direct payments.

‘Being a carer can change your relationship with the person you care for. Direct payments have allowed us to get back some of that mother/daughter relationship. I would not change providing care for my mum, but when you love someone you want to be all things to them. When you can't do this you feel a failure. I don't feel this way anymore. We spend quality time and her care is successful. ’