Our commissioning approach for adults, children and families in Gateshead - commissioning priorities 2024-2025
11. Self directed support
Direct payments have been part of statutory expectations and good practice in social care for adults and children for many years. In adult social care the 18% take up of direct payments in Gateshead is very low by national and regional comparisons. This is significant both in relation to the opportunities and outcomes for individuals and for diverting demand away from higher intensity formal care services. Direct Payments will also attract significant attention during CQC assurance visits.
Recent engagement with Gateshead's Jewish community has illuminated opportunities for social care services to think beyond direct payments, and instead promote the concept of self directed support more widely and flexibly in meeting the needs of children and adults. There is potential to use direct payments and also Individual Service Funds (ISFs) for larger numbers of people and families to enable them to meet needs more directly and effectively. This will require service development, training and awareness raising across the council and with a range of different communities.
The role of commissioning in addressing these challenges and expanding the deployment of direct payments will be directed towards:
- designing and developing a more substantial, flexible series of support service for people opting for a direct payment. This will consider options for procurement and in-house delivery and encompass management of payments and support with recruitment, employment and payroll
- establishing approved lists of providers for key services susceptible for use of direct payments, including daytime services for adults. Such lists will promote diversity of opportunity and support decision making by customers through an appropriate level of basic assurance about providers
- promoting and facilitating the use of ISFs where appropriate to enable families or customers to pool their resources to meet needs in conjunction with local providers