Direct Payments (DPs) support Independent Living. They are payments that are made to people who are eligible for social care support, as an alternative to support that is arranged by the council. They give people choice and control to put in place support that is flexible and right for them to improve their quality of life based on what matters to them.
Independent Living is the right of Disabled people to live in the community with the same choices and opportunties as everyone else.
The aim of the Direct Payments Steering Group (DPSG) is
- to help more people in Hammersmith & Fulham to have direct payments
- help ensure people get good direct payment information and support
- ensure the Independent Living Direct Payment Support Service (ILDPSS) is working well so people get the right help to use and manage their direct payments.
The steering group makes sure plans are in place so people know about direct payments and get good information and support to use and manage their direct payments.
Disabled people and people who use direct payments are members of the steering group and play an equal part in leading the group and the decisions of the group.
Background - our co-production journey
Disabled residents wanted better support for people to use direct payments. There was an independent review of direct payments in 2017/18 which set out recommendations. In 2018, Disabled people and their family and friends co-produced what good direct support should look like.
Disabled people, Hammersmith & Fulham Council and partner organisations co-produced a plan to improve direct payments. The plan said there should be an Independent Living Direct Payments Support Service to deliver direct payment support.
On 1 December 2019, Action on Disability (AoD) signed a contract with Hammersmith & Fulham Council to deliver a Direct Payment Support Service. Action on Disability is a Disabled People's Organisation (DPO) based in Hammersmith & Fulham. This was a great achievement to co-produce a service that is run by a DPO.
The Steering Group has a "Moving Forward" plan to keep improvements on track. The plan is reviewed and updated based on feedback from Disabled people and DP users.
Who is on the group?
- Resident Co-chair: Mahdi Nezami
- H&F Co-chair: Donna Barry, Assistant Director, Adult Social Care
- Representative in Co-Production Matters H&F: Mahdi Nezami
- Members: Residents using direct payments, representatives from Action on Disability and the Direct Payments Support Service, ParentsActive, Carers Network, adult social care, children's services, NHS Integrated Care Board, and other stakeholders.
How often does the group meet?
The DPSG meets every six weeks to discuss progress, get resident feedback and views from the peer support group, address challenges, and set new goals. Members are compensated for their participation, ensuring that all access needs are met during meetings.
Key achievements
Our achievements over the last year include:
- More people are now using direct payments
- Co-production of an Easy Read Direct Payment Agreement to enable people who use DPs to understand their responsibilities
- Setting up a Personal Assistants (PAs) Task Group which made recommendations to ensure there are enough good PAs locally
- Regular staff training so workers know all about DPs and can promote them through our peer support group we conducted surveys to see how we can improve peer support for more DP users
- Events for Disabled people, carers and allies to find out more about direct payments.
Our priorities for the year ahead
Our priorities for the year ahead include:
- All residents who use social care to be aware of DPs as an option, the benefits of DPs and the support available
- More people to use DPs including people with mental health support needs, people living with dementia and people who currently use home care
- Training so all H&F workers are knowledgeable about DPs and the support available so they can help people choose if DPs are right for them
- Improving processes for setting up, monitoring and reviewing DPs
- Ensuring DP users get good information and support to manage and use their DPs, and know they can access peer support.
Join us!
We welcome more residents who use direct payments to join the DPSG to help co-produce direct payment services in Hammersmith & Fulham. Meetings are held every six weeks, with compensation for participation.
Get in touch
Please contact Action on Disability on dpsupport@aod.org.uk or phone 020 3080 0380.
They can also let you know about the Direct Payments Support Service and the Direct Payments Peer Support Group which is for residents who use DPs to come together and learn from each other.
You can also contact co-chair Donna Barry at Donna.Barry@lbhf.gov.uk for more information about our group.
For broader information on co-production in Hammersmith & Fulham and how to get involved, email coproduction@lbhf.gov.uk