In Control, Lancaster University and Think Local Act Personal have published the findings of the third Personal Outcomes Evaluation Tool (POET) of over 500 personal health budget holders and carers.   The purpose of the POET survey 2015 for Personal Health Budget Holders and Family Carers is to provide insight into the experiences of personal health budget holders and their families. The survey also shows the impact having control over the budget has on their…

How are local authorities performing? The Independent Living Strategy Group conducted two pieces of research and analysis to explore the degree to which local authorities are following the spirit and letter of the Care Act and its statutory guidance in seeking to optimize choice and control. Despite emphasis on wellbeing, choice and control within the Care Act, the survey found near half of respondents felt their quality of life had reduced and 30% experienced a…

If you are a parent or carer of a child who has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), or a child or young person who has an EHCP, then we would like to know how the process was for you.   Watch an introduction to the POET:     The Personal Outcomes Evaluation Tool (POET) has been designed to capture the views of children and young people, parents/carers and practitioners about the experience of…

In Control have co-produced new practical guides and information about using personal health budgets for children and young people for health services and their partners   We are pleased to launch four new publications about some of the particular challenges around introducing and using personal health budgets:   Personal health budgets and children’s equipment – David Widdas and Bernadette Simpson   Personal health budgets and delegation of responsibilities – Bernadette Simpson and David Widdas  …

The young person’s guide to personal budgets gets an honourable mention in a blog post by James Sanderson, the Director of Personalisation & Choice at NHS England.   “Delivering a universal culture of personalisation and choice in the NHS will only be achieved if we work together across commissioning organisations, provider trusts, the voluntary and community sector and with people themselves. We need strength in numbers to lead the charge towards patient empowerment.”   Read…

As we look forward to 2016, it’s helpful to reflect on the past 12 months… Back in the spring, In Control published a report with Lancaster University using the Personal Outcome Evaluation Tool (POET) to measure the impact of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. The full approach, questionnaires and findings set out an interesting picture of work to introduce the new EHCPs across 18 different…

With 2016 well underway, we thought it was time for an update on the latest POET (Personal Outcomes Evaluation Tool) findings…   Adult Social Care POET:   In Control are currently working with 12 local authorities to embed revised POET questions set into their IT systems and anticipate this going live in April, with the first data reporting in September. We recently provided data from POET to the National Audit Office for a parliamentary report…

Community Catalysts have released an insightful report titled ‘Choice Making Pathways In Social Care‘.   In view of the 2014 Care Act – meant to increase the control people have over their care – the report looks at the choices people have regarding their care, how they access key information and advice, and the obstacles many still face in selecting the care they would like.   Head over to Community Catalysts to read the report.   We’ve…