Changes to social care for adults
This information is about changes to adults social care, how this might affect you and what is happening in Walsall. There are many different terms used to talk about these changes. It describes the national Putting People First programme and our local People First programme.
There are many different words used to describe these changes - these are explained on linked pages.
Putting People First – What is it?
Putting People First is the agreement between national and local government and other key organisations about the changes to adult social care for the next 10 years and beyond. In Putting People First it was agreed that people will have more choice and control over the social care services they receive.
Published in December 2007, it explains the shared aims and values which will change adults social care and improve people’s experience of local services. It supports partnership working between central and local government, social care professionals and others to achieve this. It also builds on the 2006 White Paper ‘Our Health, Our Care, Our Say’.
Our Health, our Care, our Say did a national consultation with service users from all over the country in 2005. This found that people want support when they need it, quickly, easily and in a way that fits into their lives. They want adult social care services to think about their individual needs, focus on preventing people becoming ill or isolated and help people to be more independent.
In order to support local authorities to do this, the Department of Health has made money available to local councils between 2008 and 2011 to help them redesign and shape adult social care services.
What is personalisation?
Personalisation starts with the person rather than the service. It is about giving people much more choice and control over their lives and the care that they receive.
It means people can have support and information which enables them to make decisions about what they require, enabling users of services to achieve their aspirations and goals.
The government expects that arrangements should be in place in every local authority by 2011 to allow a proportion of service users to be using fully personalised services.
To make personalisation work in Walsall will mean major changes in how Social Care and Inclusion staff and our partners work. We will also need to review and change the types of care available so that people have a wider range of services to meet their needs. The role of social care workers will also change and become more about helping people to work out what they want and advocating for them instead of delivering these services directly.
To find out more about personalisation go to the Social Care TV website which has various videos about how personalisation could work.
Contact us
People First Team
Walsall Council
1st floor offices
The Square
Lichfield Road
New Invention
WV12 5EA
Telephone 01922 655833
Email peoplefirstprogramme@walsall.gov.uk
This page was last updated on 12 March 2010