Project Aims

The project ran for a 18 month period up until June 2017. The results and findings of the projects have been written up and are available free to download at: https://scottishcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/A-Human-Rights-Based-Approach-to-SDS-for-Older-People.pdf

The project was a partnership between Scottish Care, who received funding to undertake work on older people and self-directed support and two local partnerships-  NHS Highland and North Ayrshire as well as other local stakeholders.

The primary focus of this project was to explore the application of a human rights based approach, consistent with the statutory principles within the SDS Act, in the operational delivery of older people’s care and support.

Focus

As this was a short term project, it did not attempt to cover SDS for older people in its entirety. The exact focus of work for the project was left to local parties but included work on eligibility criteria; new commissioning models which would include the older supported person; developing new models for older people assessment; approaches to support planning around outcomes for older individuals and workforce development with the local providers around self-directed support; .

The project recognised that a great deal of work is already being undertaken on these areas and did not seek to duplicate such work. The local groups developed a focussed action plan.

Outcomes

The project had both short and long term outcomes which were:

Short term outcomes included:

• Older individuals who access support from social care providers engaged in the project will be better informed, more aware and empowered to exercise their rights under self-directed support.
• We know more about effective models for independent support and care for older people and how to overcome barriers.
• Existing models for understanding the assessment needs of older supported individuals will have been explored and any new models developed and trialled.

Long term outcomes  included:

• More older people are aware of SDS and what choice and control mean for them
• More older people will be aware of the full extent of choice available under each of the four SDS options and their distinctive features
• More older people will be confident in accessing and using personal budgets within the context of their preferred SDS option choice, whichever that may be.
• Social care provision for older people will be flexible and creative and focussed on personal outcomes
• The workforce has skills and confidence to ensure care meets personal outcomes