I think the very best bit of the Care Act, is that it was coproduced, right from the start with the best people involved because they were in fact living and breathing the care system every day, in fact I was invited to the ‘co-creation day’, but unfortunately I had fallen and sustained a very painful 'broken' leg and because of that was experiencing a very 'broken' care system.
Prior to this, I was fortunate in Sheffield to have worked with some very forward thinking people in adult social care, and had co-designed a training programme for newly qualified social workers, which was based on outcomes and an individual’s needs and wellbeing, being at the centre of everything.
I was really happy, I felt in control, I was valued and I was able to play an integral part in setting up Sheffield Cycling 4 All. I was able to live my life fully, even though it was hard work at times, bringing up two school-age children, and living with the effects of a brain injury.
I was able to coproduce my support plan. This meant that I liked and agreed with the support that was offered. I was able to take risks and be flexible about how I used my money to meet my needs. But I have to say this is where it breaks down a bit for me, although this is more about the council’s implementation and my personal contribution.
It seems very wrong when I have to go 'cap in hand’, every time I want to buy something that meets a need, even though I fund 50 per cent of the total or indeed, just to do something meaningful that makes me happy. The other day it took four hours to get an answer on me paying for a service and I had to go through my life history three times. Why, when this was in fact a very economical use of my direct payment?
I was able to use language, a way of working that suited me, but this is something that I feel needs looking at in the Care Act again and bringing more up to date.
This leads onto a third way: coproduction. This is important and is often about a group of people who access support being involved in an organisation and the way they implement their duty. For example, by using ‘Making it Real’ which is a coproduced way of meeting the outcomes of the Care Act 2014 and was co-created by the National Co-production Advisory Group (NCAG) and Think Local Act Personal. ’Many sparks make a fire', so to speak.
