Page 23 - Community Living Magazine 30-3

ConFerenCe rePortS
lIVeS – not SerVICeS
Commissioners Conference
(www.ncctc.co.uk/) In a tough environment of budget reductions, workforce problems

argaret Willcox and provider struggles, three conferences focussed on the positive:
M (President Elect of community development, real achievement and evidencing what
ADAAS) stressed the need works. rosemary trustam reports.
to ‘really put the individual
at the centre of working out
their needs and controlling frontline, with a positive errors culture, Walsall saved £750,000 by
their care, with a system of is more likely to improve outcomes reviewing four housing support
care and support designed (Toby Lowe, Newcastle University) contracts and through extensive
with their full involvement consultation developed some
and tailored to meet their l Transformative practice: the Wigan resilient community and locality
unique needs.... a life not Deal’s asset-based approach, models, differentiating service needs
a service’ triggered by its huge budget cut, including new autism befriending
saved £100 million whilst improving and community outreach services.
Key points from the conference outcomes for people. Its genuine (http://www.local.gov.uk/web/
speakers and research presentations: engagement with its citizens and guest/publications/-/journalcon-
other stake-holders and investment tent/56/10180/7643400/
l More personal health budgets joined in frontline staff, developed a PUBLICATION )
up with social care personal budgets workforce of community connectors,
would develop patient power and link workers and volunteers who l Social care recruitment crisis:
infuence learning know their community ‘patch’ and Dependence on EU workers is highest
(James Sanderson, NHS England) help people engage in activities. in London at 13% (7% is average).
Turnover is 33% in domiciliary care
l Outcome-based measures don’t work l A joint social care/clinical with 11% of domiciliary care jobs
t
– devolving judgement to the commissioning approach in Continued overleaf t

they received. Some of the themes that like not being supported and http://www.paradigm-uk.org/
emerged were around the friendliness involved in their own cooking. reach-standards/
of the quality checkers during the visit, I know how my life has changed http://www.choicesupport.org.uk/
the beneft of having a peer-to-peer from being well supported to being
interview, the value of an independent more independent. It’s not good if Thomas Doukas is Head of
report, taking on board constructive people are not involved in individual Inclusive Research & Involvement
comments, and the opportunity for the decisions about their lives. at Choice Support.
residents to express their views to an (Quality Checker)
external body. keY meSSAgeS
This means they know what to
Comments included: look for, and people often tell l Quality checks are carried out
Very relaxing. I met three people them a lot about their lives. by people with disabilities who
and I was comfortable. They were We get a view that is often missing use their own experience and
effcient. You could understand the from quality reviews, monitoring and knowledge of what makes
questions. We spoke for 20 minutes. inspections. Quality checking good support
I didn’t mind it. Friendly souls. leads to open and transparent service
Easy to get on with them. (Resident) delivery, offers new safeguards, l Co-production and the
and raises quality. inclusiveness of quality checks
I welcomed the quality check, gives power to the individual to
having independent people and Conclusions use their experience to shape
all the positive and constructive Quality checking empowers quality their own support
comments. We have to do audits for checkers to develop their skills and
the local authority and monitoring for grow in confdence in the job market. l Peer-support based models can
the commissioners. It’s good to have It also empowers disabled people to be highly effective
something to show to the trustees. be in control of their lives by Quality checking can have a
(Staff) having the quality of their support l signifcant impact on service
checked. As such, quality checking is
Quality checking is different from distinctive from professional-led delivery, offering new
safeguards, and raising quality
service audits because the quality approaches and puts the individual
checks are done by people with at the centre of their life. l Being a quality checker helps
disabilities who use their own people with learning disabilities
experience and knowledge of what References & to develop their skills and to
makes good support: further reading grow in confdence in the
I have seen people who are not http://skillsforpeople.org.uk/index. jobs market.
encouraged to be independent, php?q=about-us/our-history

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 30 No 3 | Spring 2017 21