2012 may be remembered for many things – Olympic Games in London? Queens Diamond Jubilee? European Championships? All the above probably, but I had a part in a small event last week that I hope signifies another, more durable reason to remember this year because on March 1st at the Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, Minister of Public Health, Michael Matheson MSP launched the Social Care (Self-Directed Support) (Scotland) Bill once more into the Scottish Parliament.
The momentous nature of the event was somewhat dulled by the absence of the Bill itself which was not cleared for publication until two hours after the event concluded. However it was a colourful and eventful morning. The speakers were required to reveal something about themselves – I said I had something in common with Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney and Barack Obama – left handed. However Minister Matheson revealed that he was the only foreigner to attend the funeral of Che Guevara in Cuba where his body was interred some twenty years after he was killed in the Bolivian jungle. He apparently attended the ceremony at which Guevara was laid to rest in a mausoleum in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara, site of Batista's final defeat. Fancy that!
The event involved some ‘speed dating’ as delegates moved around 6 or 7 tableaux where they were engaged by different speakers and stimuli. Pam Duncan gave a breathless and perfectly timed six minutes on what SDS means to her. Elsewhere we had to ‘make our mark’ with a finger print to demonstrate commitment.
Why do I go into such detail? Because I was the only Director present and was keen to ensure that the event was registered by us all.
As for the Bill itself, it was available online by Thursday and as you might expect it is similar to the version tabled prior to the dissolution in 2011. The four options for SDS are:
Option 1: the local authority makes a direct payment to the supported person in order that the person can then use that payment to arrange their support.
Option 2: the supported person chooses their support and the local authority makes arrangements for the support on behalf of the supported person.
Option 3: the local authority selects the appropriate support and makes arrangements for its provision by the local authority.
Option 4: a mix of options 1, 2 and 3 for specific aspects of a person‘s support. This is to recognise that some individuals may wish to take one of the options for particular aspects of their support needs, but to receive their remaining support under one or other of the remaining options.
The Bill makes clear that the authority must give the supported person the opportunity to choose one of the options for self-directed support unless the authority considers that the supported person is ineligible to receive direct payments.
Published alongside the Bill is the Financial Memorandum which states in paragraph 67 that:
The purpose of this Bill is to underpin the aim to deliver choice and control for those who receive social care and support as set out in the Scottish Government‘s 10-year National Self- Directed Support strategy. The specific impacts of the Bill provisions themselves are relatively narrow. However, there are a range of costs associated with transforming culture, systems and approaches to social care provision (my italics) in response to the Bill and the wider Strategy.
The table beneath reveals £682,000 over two years for workforce development and £73,000 available in 2013/14 for joint working with NHS.
A further £42m is available over 3 years for costs indirectly associated with Bill implementation – transformation etc.
So, it is clear that SDS is underway for parliamentary consideration as a default option for the provision of support and could well become a deal changer.
In my speech at the event I quoted from our manifesto, Challenging Systems, Changing Lives:
“If Self Directed Support legislation is passed with the presumption that this will be the norm, it would be possible to deliver an entirely new contract with people who need our assistance; a contract that empowers them to make choices and allows our focus to centre on enablement, protection and continuous improvement.
We know that this will not happen overnight and may meet with some resistance, but the Association recognises a duty to lead, to secure resources and to fulfill the statutory obligations of local authorities: “to promote social welfare by making available advice, guidance and assistance on such a scale as may be appropriate for their area...” [Section 12 Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968]”
I hope we are all preparing to be a part of this quiet revolution.
The momentous nature of the event was somewhat dulled by the absence of the Bill itself which was not cleared for publication until two hours after the event concluded. However it was a colourful and eventful morning. The speakers were required to reveal something about themselves – I said I had something in common with Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney and Barack Obama – left handed. However Minister Matheson revealed that he was the only foreigner to attend the funeral of Che Guevara in Cuba where his body was interred some twenty years after he was killed in the Bolivian jungle. He apparently attended the ceremony at which Guevara was laid to rest in a mausoleum in the central Cuban city of Santa Clara, site of Batista's final defeat. Fancy that!
Why do I go into such detail? Because I was the only Director present and was keen to ensure that the event was registered by us all.
As for the Bill itself, it was available online by Thursday and as you might expect it is similar to the version tabled prior to the dissolution in 2011. The four options for SDS are:
Option 1: the local authority makes a direct payment to the supported person in order that the person can then use that payment to arrange their support.
Option 2: the supported person chooses their support and the local authority makes arrangements for the support on behalf of the supported person.
Option 3: the local authority selects the appropriate support and makes arrangements for its provision by the local authority.
Option 4: a mix of options 1, 2 and 3 for specific aspects of a person‘s support. This is to recognise that some individuals may wish to take one of the options for particular aspects of their support needs, but to receive their remaining support under one or other of the remaining options.
The Bill makes clear that the authority must give the supported person the opportunity to choose one of the options for self-directed support unless the authority considers that the supported person is ineligible to receive direct payments.
Published alongside the Bill is the Financial Memorandum which states in paragraph 67 that:
The purpose of this Bill is to underpin the aim to deliver choice and control for those who receive social care and support as set out in the Scottish Government‘s 10-year National Self- Directed Support strategy. The specific impacts of the Bill provisions themselves are relatively narrow. However, there are a range of costs associated with transforming culture, systems and approaches to social care provision (my italics) in response to the Bill and the wider Strategy.
The table beneath reveals £682,000 over two years for workforce development and £73,000 available in 2013/14 for joint working with NHS.
A further £42m is available over 3 years for costs indirectly associated with Bill implementation – transformation etc.
So, it is clear that SDS is underway for parliamentary consideration as a default option for the provision of support and could well become a deal changer.
In my speech at the event I quoted from our manifesto, Challenging Systems, Changing Lives:
“If Self Directed Support legislation is passed with the presumption that this will be the norm, it would be possible to deliver an entirely new contract with people who need our assistance; a contract that empowers them to make choices and allows our focus to centre on enablement, protection and continuous improvement.
We know that this will not happen overnight and may meet with some resistance, but the Association recognises a duty to lead, to secure resources and to fulfill the statutory obligations of local authorities: “to promote social welfare by making available advice, guidance and assistance on such a scale as may be appropriate for their area...” [Section 12 Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968]”
I hope we are all preparing to be a part of this quiet revolution.
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