Self Directed Support in Hartlepool

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Self Directed Support in Hartlepool

• Jeanette Willis
• Principal Finance Manager
• Hartlepool Borough Council

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ABOUT HARTLEPOOL ME
Hartlepool is a small unitary Authority in the
North East (one of the smallest) We have high
levels of deprivation, high numbers of
individuals with disability and are an Excellent
council in CPA I am a Cipfa qualified accountant
and have worked in Hartlepool Social Services
for over 7 years although have worked in the
public sector for 17 years.
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OUR STORY SO FAR
We are a Total Transformation site one of 10
throughout the country. In signing up for TT we
had to agree to swift, wholesale change and to
have 50 of our clients receiving an allocation
by April 2009. When we signed up we had already
increased our Direct Payments from approx 70 to
300 over the course of a year. We operate DP as
flexibly as the guidance allows.
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OUR STORY SO FAR

• Steps in the Process
• Desk top Exercise approx 300 cases across all
  specialties
• Tweaked SAQ to meet needs of our authority and
  all specialties
• One SAQ four price allocation tables (not used
  single price point as in RAS 4)
• Communication plan running alongside all of this
  work

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OUR STORY SO FAR

• Steps in the Process
• Roadshows for members, senior management, users,
  carers and providers.
• Training rolled out to staff groups but
  delivered in an interactive way to ensure their
  learning influenced the processes and way
  forward.
• Decision taken that the SAQ process would be a
  supported process

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OUR STORY SO FAR

• Steps in the Process
• Go Live ! -3rd December 2007
• SAQ for all new cases and drip feed for those
  due a review
• Currently have approximately 400 resource
  allocations given and around 300 Support plans
  completed
• Converted existing DP into IB letter and offer
  of SAQ otherwise SAQ on review

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OUR STORY SO FAR

• CHALLENGES
• Knowing your costs
• Unit Costs readiness for new way of working
• Charging Policy pre December only Homecare
  chargeable in non-residential services.
• How does if fit with Residential services
  especially in older people Extra Care

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OUR STORY SO FAR

• CHALLENGES
• Other funding streams (SP, ILF)
• Eligibility (in general) - Hartlepool now
  substantial
• IT systems!!!!!
• Transition
• HEARTS MINDS

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OUR STORY SO FAR

• WHAT WOULD WE DO DIFFERENTLY?
• Get the charging agreed
• Have a bit longer to go through the whole process
• Resources both financial for double running and
  staffing (not on top of the day job)

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OUR STORY SO FAR

• SUCCESSES!!!!!!!
• We are doing it!
• Individuals are at least starting the process
  from a more transparent and equitable position.
• Staff are feeling the benefits of supporting
  individuals
• Staff are focussing on Outcomes not inputs and
  the general feeling is that it is back to social
  work

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OUR STORY SO FAR

• WHAT IS STILL TO DO?
• Review the cases so far for financial impact
  and quality of life
• Incorporate SP and work with ILF
• Shape the market both for provision and
  support to be in Control
• Allocation system for Carers