People’s experiences of Self-directed Support in Moray

The ALLIANCE and Self Directed Support Scotland have published a report on people's experiences of social care / SDS in Moray.

This report is part of a suite of Local Authority reports collated during the largest direct consultation of SDS to date – My Support, My Choice: User Experiences of Self-directed Support in Scotland (MSMC). The national report and the five thematic reports have been quoted in the Independent Review of Adult Social Care and provided key evidence for Social Work Scotland’s trialling of the new Self-directed Support (SDS) Standards.

My Support My Choice: People’s Experiences of Self-directed Support and Social Care in Moray highlights evidence of good practice and where improvements can be made in Moray. We hope it can assist in the strategic planning and delivery of future SDS/ social care.

The views expressed by research participants and analysis of the findings have led to a number of recommendations, many of which echo other independent reviews of SDS:

• People need good access to publicly available, high quality information about SDS/ social care, in a range of accessible and tailored formats.
• Sufficient time must be allocated for needs assessments and review meetings, to allow for detailed questions and consideration of the four SDS options.
• Further information and training for professionals is required about the four SDS options and supported decision making. 
• Local peer networks and resources, including the Moray Wellbeing Hub, should be encouraged and supported. 

The report also includes a response from Moray HSCP, who said:  

“The report highlights key improvements that would respond to people’s concerns, build on existing good practice, and increase the effectiveness and reach of positive SDS/ social care experiences. […] Health and Social Care Moray are committed to making positive changes in Moray, through increasing choice, control and collaborative work with individuals, families and communities to support delivery of better outcomes. […] We welcome feedback from individuals, their families and friends on the report and ideas for improvement.” 

The research team are organising an online feedback session with key stakeholders from Moray on Tues 14th September from 11am – 1pm.

Please register for the free session and join the conversation as we explore the delivery of SDS at every stage of the process, from first contact, to assessment, establishing eligibility, allocating resources, support planning and reviews.  To register, please visit the SDSS Eventbrite page (this link will take you away from our website).

The input of those living and/or working in Moray is very valuable in discussing next steps.

If you have any questions about the research, please email Dr Hannah Tweed, Senior Policy Officer at the ALLIANCE (hannah.tweed@alliance-scotland.org.uk) or Mark Han-Johnson, Membership Development Executive at SDSS (mark@sdsscotland.org.uk).

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