Self-directed Support Strategy 2010-2020: Implementation Plan 2016-2018

Strategic Outcome 1

"Having greater control of your life and decision making leads to improved health and wellbeing."

Supported people have more choice and control

Citizens are engaged, informed, included and empowered to make choices about their support. They are treated with dignity and respect and their contribution is valued.

What has changed?

Over phases 1 and 2 of the Self-directed Support strategy we have observed that:

• There is a greater understanding of Self-directed Support and how it can lead to positive outcomes.
• There is greater use of local facilities, community groups and personal networks as part of people's care and support.
• There are better conversations between workers and supported people that help to understand what matters to them.
• People are seeking and receiving help and advice from a variety of sources, including independent support organisations and health and social care services as well as their social workers.
• More social care providers are offering flexible, personalised and outcome based support.
• Supported people, their carers and family members are increasingly being recognised as equal partners in decisions made about their care and support.
• Technology is being used more effectively to give people greater choice and control over their support.

What we will do during 2016-18 to facilitate change

• Scottish Government will implement new human rights based National Health and Care Standards across health and social care services.
• Scottish Government will continue to invest in the 34 projects of the Support in the Right Direction programme. These are building the capacity and availability of independent information, advice and support services across Scotland to enable more people to exercise choice and control.
• SDSS will support more user-led disabled people's organisations to build their capacity and standing within the localities they operate.
• Scottish Government will evaluate the role of quality information and advice to enable people to make genuine individual choices and promote independent living.
• Scottish Government and SDSS will lead a national communication group to promote a clearer, shared understanding of Self-directed Support across Scotland.
• SDSS will carry out a survey of service users experience of Self-directed Support every two years.
• We will share learning from tests of direct payments within residential care homes across Moray and East Renfrewshire.
• All partners will continue to capture and share stories and evidence, of what is working well, and what still needs to change.

Success

We will know this outcome is being achieved when:

• There is a shared understanding across supported people, carers, care providers and commissioners of what Self-directed Support is and how it can work.
• More people report they had a good quality conversation about what matters to them with workers, that enabled them to make genuine individual choices, empowered them to take control and promoted independent living.
• Specific tests teach us how Self-directed Support can work for more people, for example, people with mental health problems, children and families, people who are homeless or recovering from addictions.
• Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland Inspections of registered services demonstrate more people experience the principles of the new National Health and Care Standards: dignity and respect, compassion, be included, responsive care and support and wellbeing.
• Strategic Commissioning plans help us better understand how major system changes such as integration of health and social care support the implementation of Self-directed Support.

" Citizens are engaged, informed, included and empowered to make choices about their support."