Proposal for a new sector-wide partnership agreement to transform adult social care

From left to right: Alan Rosenbach, CQC; Des Kelly, National Care Forum; Moira Fraser, Princess Royal Trust for Carers; Jeff Jerome, Putting People First Consortium; Imelda Redmond, Carers UK; Julie Stansfield, InControl; Alan Bowman, Social Care Institute for Excellence; Cllr David Rogers, Local Government Association; Jo Webber NHS Confed; Richard Jones, ADASS; Minister for Care Services Paul Burstow; Sally Perceival, Chair of the TASC Coproduction Group; Bill Mumford, Voluntary Organisations Disability Group; Jane Ashcroft, Anchor ; Miranda Wixon, Ceretas/ Care Providers Alliance; Mike Padham, UK Homecare Association; Ann Mackay, ECCA ; Bridget Warr, UK Homecare Association; Stephen Burke, Counsel and Care

Think Local, Act Personal brings together 21 leading organisations across health and social care to support the contribution individuals, families, carers and communities make in providing care and support - both to those who are publicly funded and those who either pay for support themselves or rely on family carers.

It strongly encourages providers from the independent, voluntary and private sectors to play a greater role in personalisation by offering an increasingly flexible and wider range of services; understanding the role of family carers and providing everyone with appropriate support and information. The proposal also recommends the removal of unnecessary bureaucracy.

National Director for Social Care Transformation Jeff Jerome said the agreement reinforced personalisation as the core direction of travel for social care improvement:

"We need continuing radical action across the sector to ensure everyone, whether using their own money or using a council personal budget, can have better choice in securing their care and support and more control over what they choose. Councils, providers and other partners in the community will work more closely to find solutions for people outside the traditionally narrow definition of social care. We have built strong foundations for these improvements across the country and can now consolidate, making the most of local networks, community and market capacity, so that we help people make choices in a way that works best for them."

Richard Jones, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said:

"The proposed agreement has built on learning across the country and between key players in the sector. It endorses an approach which is about personal and locally based responses to care and support, involving citizens, communities, providers, councils and health partners in moving forward together. We are seeking wider endorsement from as many groups as possible and are keen to hear their views whilst a new sector partnership will be established to drive forward a shared programme of work and action."

While 21 leading health and adult social care organisations are already on board to support the proposals, Think local, act personal seeks further endorsement from the sector until 30 November 2010. After this time, sector leaders will finalise the agreement, taking into account the Government's vision for adult social care, and will set out how the work will continue once the Putting People First programme ends in March 2011.

Amongst the key proposals are a call for all people who are eligible for ongoing council social care funding to have a personal budget - an upfront allocation of money available for care and support - with a cash direct payment the preferred delivery model; improved information and advice to inform care decisions; help for people to plan and secure support arrangements and self-directed support to deliver efficiencies in the business process of councils.

Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said:

"The Spending Review has given social care a strong base. The settlement shows our determination to protect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable adults and families by investing an additional £2 billion each year by 2014. It will ensure we can meet the needs of an ageing population all those in need of services and protect access to vital care and support.

"But this does not mean business as usual. The sector must step up the pace of reform. There needs to be a focus on increased productivity, more innovation and greater personalisation so people have more choice and control. Think Local, Act Personal brings together 21 leading organisations across health and social care to support this move to more personalised and integrated services."

Cllr David Rogers, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, said:

"There can be no doubt the current adult social care system isn't fit for the 21^st Century. This agreement is an important step in the journey of reform and builds on the increased levels of collaboration between councils and our partners since the publication of Putting People First.

"If we are to effectively cope with Britain's ageing population we need communities to work together as a whole, from town halls and GPs, to social clubs and individual carers. Key to any new system has to be keeping the elderly and those with long-term health conditions in the homes they love and the communities they cherish.

"Think Local, Act Personal shows how much we have done together already in achieving this, but also how far we still have to go. I am happy to commend it to local government and our wider partners."

Bill Mumford, Chairman of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group, said:

"I very much welcome the publication of "Think Personal Act Local"; the most effective way of ensuring good outcomes for people needing social care support is for the sector to pull together to find the service solutions that work for people, are sustainable and provide value for money. The challenge is for the current sector leaders to collectively lay down the foundation on which personalised services will be built for future generations, the VODG sign this Agreement in endorsement of that common calling."

Des Kelly, National Care Forum Executive Director said the NCF, which represents not-for-profit heath and care providers, welcomed the launch as a clear statement of the commitment to working in partnership:

"This agreement builds on the process of transformation to ensure that all care services are personalised to the needs of individuals in ways that offer maximum choice, control and independence. These reforms have already had a positive impact on care and support services but we recognise there is much more to do. It is vital that providers and commissioners are able to work together, in partnership with people needing support, to develop services to meet changing future need and demand. Such collaboration will bring opportunities for innovation and new ways of working which make the best use of all the resources within communities."

Julie Stansfield, Chief Executive of In Control said:

"In Control is delighted to endorse the agreement, which strongly echoes our own strategy for the next decade - Vision 2020. There is no doubt that there are significant challenges ahead but there are also real opportunities to re-shape the system, shift practice and attitudes and shape strong, inclusive communities. It is critical that we now work on a local and personal level to bring about this long-term and sustainable change."

Cynthia Bower, Care Quality Commission Chief Executive, said:

'We fully endorse this new partnership agreement. Making sure we place people at the centre of their care and working together to improve outcomes for people, get to the heart of our strategic priorities and the new system for adult social care regulation. We look forward to working with our partners across the sector to further champion the provision of high quality care for all."

Julie Jones, Chief Executive at the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) said:

"At SCIE we strongly believe that the key elements of this partnership agreement, including personalisation, prevention and integration, are the way forward for social care. To ensure we achieve this it is important that we share information and good practice about what works, and empower people to have choice and control over their own care. SCIE stands ready to play its full part in the implementation of this agreement."

Imelda Redmond, Chief Executive Carers UK, said:

"Carers tell us time and again that improving the quality, flexibility and quantity of social care is the main thing that will improve their quality of life. As we know, the vast majority of care and support is provided by family carers. Services that fail to integrate, facilitate and support this vital contribution are failing to provide cost effective personalised solutions. Carers UK welcomes this proposed agreement and welcomes the opportunity to work with this broad coalition of organisations to improve care and support services."

Anne Roberts, Chief Executive of Crossroads Care, said:

"We have real opportunities now to build on what we have learnt in recent years and adapt ever more flexible and collaborative approaches to supporting people in their communities. We welcome and endorse the publication of Think Local, Act Personal which sets out those opportunities and clearly articulates what needs to be done. Carers and their families must benefit from these changes. Carers have been calling for recognition of their contribution, better integration of health and social care services and much more flexible provision for many years, and it is positive to see these issues as a central part of the Think Local, Act Personal recommendations."

Mike Padgham, Chair of United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA), said:

"UKHCA fully supports this partnership agreement because it emphasises the need for genuine integration between care providers, local government and the health service. It demonstrates our joint obligation to respond effectively to the needs of people who use services, while supporting the massive contribution made by families and carers. The agreement underlines the joint determination to create increasingly more responsive services than those commissioned in the past. UKHCA's endorsement demonstrates our belief that homecare providers are a vital part of effective choice and control for service users in a local care market."

Jane Ashcroft, Anchor Chief Executive, said:

"It is absolutely crucial that services are integrated services and that commissioners and providers work together in a spirit of partnership. This agreement is a major step forward in setting out the principles which can ensure services ensure happy lives for older people. I am delighted to support this partnership."

Sally Percival, on behalf of The Transforming Adult Social Care Co Production Group, said:

"We have great pleasure in formally approving the Think Local, Act Personal agreement, which continues to recognise the enormous value that comes from working together right from the start, with both people who use the services and their carers. This joined up approach ensures that the outcomes are people focused rather than service led. The document builds on the positive changes that have already been put into place and re enforces the value of community-led approaches and local capacity-building, which will lead to robust inclusive societies. The challenge is to keep this close to our hearts and firmly in our minds."

Stephen Burke, Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, said:

"We cannot rest until everyone needing care and support has true choice and control. Working together is critical to making this happen. Everyone needs to be able to get advice and information to plan ahead and find help much earlier, to help support their family and to make the most of their own resources. Empowering citizens to take control of their care and support is key to building a stronger society for all older people, their families and carers."

Philippa Russell, Chair, Standing Commission on Carers, said:

"The Standing Commission on Carers is delighted to endorse the launch of Think Personal, Act Local. We warmly welcome the emphasis on personalised and high quality services, built on genuine partnerships across the public, independent and voluntary sectors and, most importantly, with family carers and users themselves as 'expert partners in care'. We live in challenging times, but we also have real opportunities to design and co-produce care and support services which are fit for the 2lst Century. The agreement sets out an exciting agenda of transformation, innovation, collaborative working and most importantly a shared vision of next generation care and support services. It will now be our collective responsibility to meet that challenge."

Carole Cochrane, Chief Executive of The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, said:

"Think Local, Act Personal sets out a strong vision on how working together can improve the lives for many people with disabilities or serious illnesses, and their carers. We believe this system will provide them with a better quality of life and greater independence. It is vital that communities and local organisations are involved in shaping what support is available in their own areas. The Princess Royal Trust for Carers fully endorses working together to implement this vision."

Mary Bryce, Chair of Ceretas, said:

"Ceretas welcomes the agreement as a positive way forward for people to have more control, more choice and importantly better outcomes. Partnerships between customers, commissioners, care providers and local communities will help in making a fundamental shift to support systems and how they are developed. This is a challenge that all partners should aspire to."

Martin Green, Chief Executive of the English Community Care Association said:

"This partnership will provide a framework for all organisations to work together with service users and carers to deliver the high quality personalised care that is the right of all citizens."