I suppose I should be cheering the announcement in Putting People First, which is a ‘shared ambition’ report – sorry, concordat – authored by ‘Ministers, local government, NHS, social care, professional and regulatory organisations’ and published by the Department of Health (DH) yesterday. It is being trailed as heralding the most significant change to come about in the personalisation of social services provided by English councils. It is great from a telecare development perspective. It says, right up front on page 3:
‘Person centred planning and self directed support to become mainstream and define individually tailored support packages. Tele-care [sic] to be viewed as integral not marginal.’
However, you will have sensed that I am struggling to be positive about it. Yes, change needs to be driven by a vision, but is this more than just a wish list? Maybe my lack of enthusiasm arises because I’ve become a bit over-cynical these days, and maybe it doesn’t help that letters to Santa come to mind at this time of year. Maybe it’s because when I pick through it I see too many cracks through which the undoubtedly good intentions can evaporate. For example, the introduction to Section 3 begins:
3.1 Local authority leadership accompanied by authentic partnership working with the local NHS…
The word ‘authentic’ slipped in there recognises that councils still have significant difficulties in getting meaningful cooperation from the NHS. Councils have until 2011 to align their services to the vision. And how will we know when they have got there?
‘We will judge our success through the views and experiences of those who use the social care system, progress in supporting adults to live independently, objective measures of performance, and the job satisfaction of those working at all levels of the system.’
Hmm. Anyway, read it yourself (it’s not long) and tell me I’m wrong to be pessimistic – please! Putting people first: a shared vision and commitment to the transformation of adult social care.
As an antidote to my cynicism, or if you are a non-UK reader wishing to understand the context of this, I suggest you read the following article published in Sunday’s Guardian Unlimited.
Come on, Steve, it’s not good to be cynical about something that is going to put more economic power in the hands of the people that matter!
James, you are absolutely right! Cynical comments can result in undermining the initiative’s good intentions. However, in my defence, I find that banal, indeed patronising, document titles start me off on the wrong foot and the negativity can escalate from there. This document takes the biscuit in that regard, even outdoing ‘Putting Patients First’ (White Paper, 1998) and thousands of variations before and after. What do the people who write these things think frontline health and social care staff do all day?
Steve