“I really enjoyed working with Andrew on the IB pilot. Before the pilot I was considered a problematic user because people had never really bothered to understand who I was, someone with moderate care needs but high support needs because of my high achievable outcomes. Andrew was willing to learn from me and see me as a person, and as well as an user, and supported my interest in the process as a professional myself, as we became colleagues, and indeed friends. Importantly, the support plan we co-produced was not the usual fashion statement, but a strong document that restored my relationship with the council and remains future proof, still being used unaltered and unchallenged long after the pilot.”
Simon Stevens Independent Disability Issues Consultant, Trainer and Activist
Simon Stevens Independent Disability Issues Consultant, Trainer and Activist
Individual Budgets in Coventry: Outcomes Focused Practice
As lead manager for the Individual Budgets pilot in Coventry, I led a project that developed an Outcomes Focussed assessment process supported by personalised commissioning. This non-RAS approach generated significant interest and led to invitations to present at National Conferences and a commission to write a Journal article.
As all other Pilots used the RAS from In-Control I was concerned that the National Evaluation would not pick out the particular messages from Coventry and that it would not capture any changes in the way people work. I therefore arranged for Coventry University to evaluate people's experiences of the pilot.
This evaluation told us what staff thought of the process and the impact it had on the way they work. Social Workers found that by working closely with colleagues from other backgrounds and using the full range of care management skills the improvement in outcomes was significant. Perhaps an understanding of how practice has changed is best evidenced using peoples own words.
‘To make this work requires more time at the assessment stage. Reviews, however, are much easier as they concentrate on whether the things that were planned have been achieved!’ A Social Worker
‘It’s rewarding to see the progress being made by people over time. Individual Budgets are enabling individuals to gain a level of independence that would previously not have been thought possible’ A Social Worker
‘When Individual Budgets were first talked about I adopted the ostrich attitude. I put my head in the sand and pretended it had nothing to do with me. I stayed in this position for several months until I finally realised the significance of what Individual Budgets were about. Slowly, it dawned on me that there was the opportunity to be a part of something that would change the way that people are assessed and offered services. It was time to move from the traditional way of working to something that was more person-centred, to give people and their families the chance to have more say about the services that they are offered and how they would like to be supported.It is early days yet and some people are further along the road than others, but already people are being enabled to live as independently as possible, not just going with the services that happened to be convenient for us as professionals but having a real say. Is everything perfect? No of course it isn’t, but it is improving. The new outcome focused assessments and support plans have taken some getting used to by all of us and there are always improvements that can be made. Personally, well I’m not the ostrich anymore! There are still things that I don’t understand and there always will be, but my commitment to Individual Budgets and the difference that I have seen that they can make to people is wholehearted.’ A Community Care Worker
‘Outcomes-focused assessments bring together the two approaches we had before. The person-centred planning coordinator asked people about their dreams and aspirations for their whole lives. The care manager carried out an assessment saying what services we felt people needed, but not in a detailed or personalised way. Outcomes-focused assessments link the two and make planning to achieve the outcomes people value a reality. What is encouraging is that we have had hugely positive feedback (from families ) about our Assessments.’ A Team Manager
‘The outcomes-focused assessment documentation used in Coventry is excellent. It gives a clear and detailed description of the individual and their needs focusing on outcomes and goals. It's a brilliant template for providers compiling individual person-centre support plans. As a professional, it is the best I have seen.’ A Manager from a national provider organisation
As all other Pilots used the RAS from In-Control I was concerned that the National Evaluation would not pick out the particular messages from Coventry and that it would not capture any changes in the way people work. I therefore arranged for Coventry University to evaluate people's experiences of the pilot.
This evaluation told us what staff thought of the process and the impact it had on the way they work. Social Workers found that by working closely with colleagues from other backgrounds and using the full range of care management skills the improvement in outcomes was significant. Perhaps an understanding of how practice has changed is best evidenced using peoples own words.
‘To make this work requires more time at the assessment stage. Reviews, however, are much easier as they concentrate on whether the things that were planned have been achieved!’ A Social Worker
‘It’s rewarding to see the progress being made by people over time. Individual Budgets are enabling individuals to gain a level of independence that would previously not have been thought possible’ A Social Worker
‘When Individual Budgets were first talked about I adopted the ostrich attitude. I put my head in the sand and pretended it had nothing to do with me. I stayed in this position for several months until I finally realised the significance of what Individual Budgets were about. Slowly, it dawned on me that there was the opportunity to be a part of something that would change the way that people are assessed and offered services. It was time to move from the traditional way of working to something that was more person-centred, to give people and their families the chance to have more say about the services that they are offered and how they would like to be supported.It is early days yet and some people are further along the road than others, but already people are being enabled to live as independently as possible, not just going with the services that happened to be convenient for us as professionals but having a real say. Is everything perfect? No of course it isn’t, but it is improving. The new outcome focused assessments and support plans have taken some getting used to by all of us and there are always improvements that can be made. Personally, well I’m not the ostrich anymore! There are still things that I don’t understand and there always will be, but my commitment to Individual Budgets and the difference that I have seen that they can make to people is wholehearted.’ A Community Care Worker
‘Outcomes-focused assessments bring together the two approaches we had before. The person-centred planning coordinator asked people about their dreams and aspirations for their whole lives. The care manager carried out an assessment saying what services we felt people needed, but not in a detailed or personalised way. Outcomes-focused assessments link the two and make planning to achieve the outcomes people value a reality. What is encouraging is that we have had hugely positive feedback (from families ) about our Assessments.’ A Team Manager
‘The outcomes-focused assessment documentation used in Coventry is excellent. It gives a clear and detailed description of the individual and their needs focusing on outcomes and goals. It's a brilliant template for providers compiling individual person-centre support plans. As a professional, it is the best I have seen.’ A Manager from a national provider organisation