The state of social care in England 2007-08
On 27 January 2009, the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) published its annual report (The state of social care in England 2007-08) which finds that too few people with complex needs are experiencing personalised care as a reality.
The report notes that, while there are some excellent examples of people receiving the support they need, too many are not benefiting from the full intention of the government’s policy on the personalisation of care. This involves putting people at the centre of the design and delivery of services, acting to respect their rights and choices, and providing support to enable them to live their lives the way they wish.
While some councils and care providers are performing excellently, the report argues that others have been reluctant to make personalised care a reality for the people they serve. Many people do not get the information, advice or support they need to help them make informed choices about their care.
The report’s key findings emphasise that:
- There has been steady improvement in the overall performance of councils and in regulated care services meeting national minimum standards.
- There have been some tentative steps to address the new personalisation agenda, which means that more people are able to control and choose their support through, for example, direct payments, individual budgets and good person-centred assistance.
- There are some outstanding examples of people’s lives being radically improved where they have been able to direct their own support, including people with multiple and complex needs.
- Councils are at an early stage in transforming social care and developments are patchy, varying between different groups of people. There are different understandings of - and commitment to - ‘personalisation’ by councils, partner agencies, people who use services and carers, as well as difficulties in extending pilot schemes.
- Concerns remain about people who are ‘lost to the system’ because they are ineligible for publicly funded support or are ‘self-funders’.
- In the current situation of resource pressures and increased demand, there continues to be tension between resourcing support for those people with the highest levels of need and investing in a raft of services, including universal, open access and rehabilitative services, which can maintain people’s independence and improve their quality of life.
The state of social care in England 2007-08: summary (PDF)
The state of social care in England 2007-08: full report (PDF)
