Making it real...Will it be in 2012 one wonders?

My wish for Christmas is not little this year. I WANT nothing cute but better care management from local councils all over the UK. There is a great difference and the people who receive care are short changed and bullied into accepting second rate. This can lead to some cases of worsening of conditions which are all different like Multiple Scclerosis (MS).

Making it Real: New citizen-led approach for councils, organisations and people to check progress with personalisation and community-based support

Added: 19/10/2011
Updated: 20/10/2011

Making it Real - Marking Progress towards personalised, community-based support is a set of statements from people who use services and carers which set out what they would expect, see and experience if personalisation is working well in an organisation. These statements are then set against key elements that would need to be in place within an organisation to make personalisation possible.

The markers will help organisations involved in commissioning and delivering care and support- from councils to providers of in-home, residential or nursing care - to look at their current practice, identify areas that need improvement and develop plans for change.

Making it Real has the support of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), national provider bodies, the Care Quality Commission and the Department of Health. Vitally, the markers have been developed by people who use social care and family carers who are part of the National Coproduction Advisory Group - representing a very wide range of groups and organisations.

How will Making it Real be used?

The organisations that have signed up to Think Local, Act Personal will use Making it Real to work with people using social care and carers to check their progress and guide further action in transforming their supports and services to get people more choice and control.

We want Making it Real to be available to everyone committed to achieving progress with personalisation.

Councils and provider organisations can look at their current practice, identify areas for change and develop plans for change.

Who can use it?

Any organisation commissioning or providing care and support including councils, providers of home based support and those providing residential and nursing care.

It can also be used by people who use services and cares to check how well their aspirations are being met. Ideally people and organisations will use them jointly

When will it be available?

You can start using Making it Real immediately to build the markers into your work plans and reviews.

In early 2012, everyone involved in care and support will be able to go to our website to declare their commitment to use Making it Real as a way of showing they are committed to personalisation.

If they do this, they will agree to publicly share the actions they will take to make towards achieving the goals in Making it Real. This will be web-based.

Between now and then, there will be a short period of testing with different kinds of organisations to find a way of making the reporting work in an easy and simple way for all groups and organisations.

You can also let us know through an expression of interest via thinklocalactpersonal@scie.org.uk that you would like to sign up in early 2012.

How will we report on our progress with Making it Real?

We are testing out an approach that will allow us to assess the quality of an organisations declaration and award the use of a TLAP logo.

Organisations will self-report six monthly on their top three priorities. We hope this will be web-based.

There will be a nationally-led citizen survey which will allow citizens to feedback on progress against markers.

Do we have to meet every marker in Making it Real?

No, not all markers will be relevant to all, so your organisation will be able to sign up to the ones most meaningful for you and the people who use your support and your organisation as a whole

Is this just another performance management tool?

No, this isn't. It is a voluntary movement for change and a way for generating enthusiasm for getting on with personalisation.

This is the sector taking ownership and responsibility for personalisation.

We think councils and other organisations will want to sign up to Making it Real as a way of helping them to check and build on progress with personalisation.

This will also be away for them to let other know how they are doing - especially their local community and the people they serve.

How does this link performance frameworks and standards like those of the CQC?

The Care Quality Commission are mapping these markers to see how they fit with essential standards of safety and quality.

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) have endorsed Making it Real as part of their membership of Think Local, Act Personal Partnership. They will be encouraging their members to make good use of Making it Real in their work.
As part of the Zero Based Review of performance data being undertaken to reduce burdens on councils, a working group that is specifically focusing on personalisation will be informed by Making it Real.

Strong connections are being made with the work of the Excellence in Councils Adult Social Care Board, which is leading support to councils and a joint Department of Health, ADASS and Local Government Group work on personal outcomes.

The Department of Health have also said that Making it Real will complement and inform the development of their outcomes framework - ensuring that citizen experience and local leadership is central.

Documents

Making it Real: Marking progress towards personalised, community based support (pdf - 834Kb)