Below you will find a series of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for Personalisation and Self Directed Support:
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What is Personalisation?
In 2007, the government published “Putting People First”, which introduced ‘Personalisation’ as a way to make sure that people are at the centre of our processes, systems and ways of working. The aim is to give people more choice and control in their lives through ‘Self Directed Support’. The aim is that by 2012 every adult will be in control of his or her care and support. Gateshead Council will ensure people are supported to make their own decisions.
Personalisation means thinking about care and support services in an entirely different way. This means starting with the person as an individual with strengths, preferences and aspirations and putting them at the centre of the process of identifying their needs and making choices about what, who, how and when they are supported.
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What is Self-Directed Support?
Self-Directed Support is about you being in control of the support you need to live your life as you choose. It puts the person who needs support in control and is a way for you to organise to pay for the support you need. The money normally spent by Social Services can go straight to you, giving you more choice about how you want to receive support and who you want to help you.
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Who is eligible for self directed support?
If you currently receive support from social services or if you have been assessed by a care manager as eligible under Fair Access to Care criteria, you can discuss your options for self directed support with your care manager. At present Gateshead Council provides services for people who fall into the critical or substantial bands of these criteria.
To discuss a referral for an assessment please contact Adult Social Care Direct or if you already have a care manager you can discuss it directly with them.
Informal carers may be able to access it either as part of the service user’s allocation or in their own right following a carers' assessment.
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How can I apply for Self-Directed Support?
If you think you or someone you know needs help, your first point of contact should be Adult Social Care Direct. You can call them on (0191) 433 7033.
Adult Social Care Direct staff are fully trained to help you. Your enquiry will be listened to and dealt with as efficiently as possible. Depending on the nature of your query, Adult Social Care Direct staff are able to signpost you to other organisations who can help or pass on information about any difficulties you may be having to your local social work office for an assessment of need.
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What is a Personal Assessment?
This is to help you prepare for your social care assessment and to make sure that when your social care assessment worker visits you can tell us all the information that is important to you to help you stay at home and remain independent.
After your assessment, if we agree you have eligible needs, you will be offered an indicative personal budget. You can download a copy of the new Personalised Assessment form from the website, which will allow you to take the time to read it and even start to complete it before your Social Care Worker visits to carry out the assessment.
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What do I need to do for the Assessment?
You need to think about what your needs are. You can do this by keeping a diary for a week. Record:
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What you do
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How long it takes
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What help you get
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What you want to be able to do
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What is a Personal Budget?
A Personal Budget is an indicative amount of money identified by Gateshead Council. The amount of money will be based on your eligible needs following your assessment. It is calculated using the Resource Allocation System or RAS and it may change.
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Will I automatically get a Personal Budget?
No, not automatically. We are currently rolling out Personal Budgets. The government has set us targets to work towards, but this is a big change for social services. Gateshead Council can only meet needs that are assessed as either Critical or Substantial, in line with the Fair Access to Care Services Criteria (FACS).
The eligibility criteria:
The risk is critical when any of the following needs applies:
Life is, or will be, threatened
Significant health problems have developed or will develop
There is, or will be, little or no choice and control over vital aspects of the immediate environment
Serious abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur
There is, or will be, an inability to carry out vital personal care or domestic routines
Vital involvement in work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained
Vital social support systems and relationships cannot or will not be sustained
Vital family or other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken
The risk is substantial when any of the following needs applies:
There is, or will be, only partial choice and control over the immediate environment
Abuse or neglect has occurred or will occur
There is, or will be, an inability to carry out the majority of personal care or domestic routines
Involvement in many aspects of work, education or learning cannot or will not be sustained
The majority of family or other social roles and responsibilities cannot or will not be undertaken.
We will endeavor to try and meet your needs using either universal services such as advice, support and guidance, reablement or technology.
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Will I have to contribute?
This depends on your financial circumstances, to establish this a financial assessment will need to be undertaken and this will determine what charge will be made for services.
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Will a Personal Budget affect my benefits?
No, your benefits are not affected by your Personal Budget.
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What is the Resource Allocation System?
The Resource Allocation System, RAS for short, is a process to help us work out how much money you require to support your needs based in your assessment. It is designed to make sure that your Personal Budget is a fair amount of social care money according to your level of needs.
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What if I don’t agree with the RAS?
If you don’t agree that your Personal Budget is fair and reasonable then you should speak to your Social Care Worker. Remember that this is just an indicative amount – that is an average of what we think you need, but it is just a guide. The final amount will be based on the care and support that your social care worker agrees with you is required to meet your eligible, assessed needs.
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How can I use my Personal Budget?
Your Personal Budget can be used flexibly but only in a way that meets the Critical or Substantial needs agreed in your social care assessment. You will need to agree with your Social Care Worker how you will use your budget to meet these needs and this will be written into a Support Plan, which you write together.
You cannot use your budget to pay for your health care or day to day living expenses that are covered by other income, e.g. food, alcohol, bills or fines. It must not be used for anything which is illegal or will put you or others at risk of harm or abuse. You will also need to show that how you plan to spend it is best value for money.
Your Personal Budget can be spent by Social Services on your behalf, which is a Virtual Budget, or can go straight to you in the form of a Direct Payment.
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What if I choose a virtual budget?
You can choose for Gateshead council to arrange your service provision, either in house of through a contract with a service provider on your behalf. You have more choice about what services or agencies are used to meet your needs and still have choice about how those needs are met, but your choice will be limited to a menu of providers held by the council.
Please see leaflet below on Council arranged services
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What if I choose a Direct Payment?
A Direct Payment is a means-tested cash payment made in place of regular social service provision to an individual who has been assessed as needing support. Following a financial assessment, those eligible can choose to take a direct payment and arrange for their own support instead. A Direct Payment is just one way of taking a Personal Budget.
Please see leaflet on services arrange by individuals.
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Can I get a Direct Payment?
You can if you are:
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An older person who needs community care services
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A disabled person over 16 years old
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A parent of someone who is disabled
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A carer
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A disabled person who needs help being a parent
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Helping someone who cannot look after the money on their own
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What is a representative direct payment?
A suitable person, usually a close family member or friend, manages your money and arranges your service provision. Your personal budget will be paid to them. You might want this option if you do not have the capacity to consent to a direct payment, but a suitable person who you can trust to represent you can arrange your services on your behalf. For more information see the leaflet attached on services arranged by individuals.
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Things you need to do before you can get Direct Payments.
Use this as a checklist for what you need to talk to the Council about:
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What will your Direct Payment cover?
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How much will you get?
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How much will you have to pay?
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How will you spend the money?
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What can you spend it on?
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What can you not spend it on?
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What changes can you make in the future?
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What are your plans for emergencies?
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When and how you will get the money?
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How should you show the Council what you have spent?
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Who will the Council check how you have spent the money?
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What rules do you need to follow?
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When will your Direct Payments be looked at again?
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Why would the Council stop your payments?
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What happens if you stop spending the Direct Payment?
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What money will they want back if you stop?
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What is a Support Plan?
Support Planning will replace Care Plans and will promote greater flexibility and choice for you. It will show how you can use your Personal Budget to help build your own care. It is more person centred and tells us more about you, what is important to you and what you want to change in your life. Your friends and family or an advocate can also help you with this.
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Do I need to keep records?
Yes, you will need to keep receipts and send us information about how you have used your budget.
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What if my needs change?
If your needs change so that you require more or less support, then you must contact your Social Care Worker or the Council, as we may need to review your support with you for the future.
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In dealing with Community Based Services I will be sharing information about myself which may be sensitive - will this be treated confidentially ?
Yes all information is confidential which means not sharing your details inappropriately. We will only share information with others in order to provide you with a service and on a need to know basis.
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Where can I get more information?
To find out more discuss with your care manager or contact Adult Social Care Direct| on 0191 433 7033 to discuss a referral for an assessment
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Glossary
As you read through the information, some of the words you come across may be new to you. Here are brief explanations to help you understand them:
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Personal Budget
A Personal Budget is an indicative amount of money identified by Gateshead Council. The amount of money will be based on your eligible needs following your assessment. It is calculated using the Resource Allocation System or RAS and it may change.
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Direct Payment
A means-tested cash payment made in place of regular social service provision to an individual who has been assessed as needing support. A Direct Payment is just one way of taking a Personal Budget.
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Support Planning
This is similar to a Care Plan but is more person centred and tells us more about you, what is important to you and what you want to change in your life.
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Eligible Criteria / Needs
These are the guidelines that we use to decide if you qualify to receive help from social services. We use the criteria to ensure we treat everyone fairly. The bandings are: critical, substantial, moderate and low. The wording of the four bands is prescribed nationally.
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Financial Assessment
Depending on the amount of you income, savings or assets, you may have to contribute towards some or all of your support. There are Government guidelines on how much you can have in savings or assets before you will be asked to pay for your support. Like all Local Authorities, we are obliged to follow these rules. Our financial assessment team will look at your finances in more detail to work out your contribution.