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Primary and Community Care Directorate
Adult Care and Support - Change Team Circular No. CCD 7/2007 Local Authority Chief Executives
Local Authority Directors of Social Work/Chief Social Workers
Local Authority Head of Children's Services
Local Authority Directors of Housing
Local Authority Directors of Finance
Health and Social Work Professional Bodies
Voluntary Sector Organisations
NHS Board Chief Executives Respondents to public consultation Con 785 | St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
Telephone: 0131-244 2091
Fax: 0131-244 3502
http://www.scotland.gov.uk 4 July 2007 |
Dear Colleague,
SELF-DIRECTED SUPPORT - NEW NATIONAL GUIDANCE
The attached new national guidance on self-directed support 1 is issued under Section 5(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and replaces earlier guidance on direct payments issued on 20 June 2003. It is designed to improve take-up of self-directed support and fulfils the recommendation made by the Parliamentary Health Committee at the Care Inquiry into the implementation of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) 2001 and the Health and Community (Scotland) Act 2002.
The guidance is based on best practice recommendations from national working groups, national research work, and the evidence of the Care Inquiry, and takes account of the wealth of helpful responses to a public consultation held from September to December 2006. The specific tasks for local authorities to fund are:
- a local support service which, where possible, should be independent and user-led (para 15)
- early involvement of individuals with the local support service to assist with self-assessment and care planning (paras 17-18)
- other essential training for individuals on self-directed support, and training of personal assistants ( PAs) (paras 34, 128)
- all basic costs within a PA employer's package, where appropriate (paras 33 -34)
- designated self-directed support lead officers or teams within each local authority (para 179)
- training on self-directed support for care managers, finance managers and local authority directors (para 128)
- enhanced disclosures for PAs employed by individuals on self-directed support (para 93)
- legal support for PA employers where appropriate e.g. indemnity insurance (para 35)
- packages during PA employers' short stays in hospital, where appropriate (para 105)
- payments for self-directed support on a gross basis and to recover the individual's contribution later (para 39).
Self-directed support is part of the whole range of practical solutions to disabled and older people's meaningful integration into mainstream society. It includes services for children, for those using mental health services and for older people in receipt of free personal care. The flexibility achieved is such that those with complex needs can also have self-directed support using the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 to safeguard their interests. The guidance strikes a balance of providing the technical information respondents have told us is needed to improve local systems, and innovative practical examples to push the boundaries of what is possible to achieve.
Self-directed support is part of Shifting the Balance of Scotland's health care towards sustaining and improving health and preventing longer term conditions through an emphasis on self-help and support that is continuous, integrated and individualised. It also helps equalise access to educational and employment opportunities. It is a means to build stronger communities in which disabled and older people are able to flourish and to which they can contribute. It is ultimately about promoting confidence and well-being.
Yours sincerely
JEAN MACLELLAN
Assistant Director
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