DW211. Self-funding and Direct Payments Arrangements in Domiciliary Support
{{org_field_logo}}
{{org_field_name}}
Self-funding and Direct Payments Arrangements in Domiciliary Support (Wales) Policy
Purpose of this Document
This domiciliary support service provides services under several contractual and funding arrangements. This policy describes how the service forms its working agreements with people who:
- fund their own care through private means
- are provided by the local authority and other public funding bodies with direct payments or personal budgets to buy their own services.
The policy is in line with the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, and Regulations:
- 14: Suitability of the Service
- 15: Personal Plan
- 18: Provider Assessment
of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017.
{{org_field_name}} recognises that increasing numbers of people are in receipt of direct payments and it is likely that this will continue in the future. Direct payments are now granted as an alternative to the services provided under care management arrangements. With self-funders and people receiving direct payments, contracts are made with them directly and not through a care manager acting on behalf of the local authority as the funding provider.
Direct payments can be used for all community care services such as personal care; practical help, eg with shopping, house cleaning and preparing meals; and help for carers to take a break and to take part in recreational and other social activities. The person receiving care decides what their priorities are and how to obtain the chosen services. The amounts provided are assessed similarly to the financial assessments for equivalent care and support services.
People receiving a direct payment are responsible for arranging their own services such as recruiting, employing, managing and paying their own care workers and for keeping financial records. They may be provided with advice and guidance on the best ways of managing their payments, but the ultimate responsibility is theirs. There are some restrictions on what the payments can be used for but they provide greater flexibility in the purchasing and provision of appropriate care and support particularly for people with long term needs.
This policy statement should be read in relation to the service’s other policies on:
- Needs Assessment
- Information Provision for Prospective Service Users
- Information for People Receiving Domiciliary Support: Range of Services
- Responding to Requests for Service
- Self-funding and Direct Payments Arrangements
- Contracts and Agreements and Termination of Service.
Domiciliary support services should obtain information on how direct payments operate in their local areas as they vary in their extent and scope and might be given different titles such as personal or individual budgets. There is no reason why they should not market their services to direct payment and organise them to meet the needs of the person receiving care.
Policy Statement
This domiciliary support service is committed to responding to people’s care and support needs in flexible person-centred ways. In addition to meeting the contracts for care services agreed with the local authority and healthcare trusts, we also deliver care and support to self-funders and those arranging their care under local direct payments’ schemes.
For both self-funders and direct payments’ customers, the service aims to deliver the best service possible consistent with their personal requirements and specifications.
The service ensures that the needs of all self-funding and direct payments’ applicants are comprehensively assessed, including all necessary risk assessments. Their service plan, if this follows, is then formed with their full agreement and involvement.
Any service provided will fully reflect the service’s commitment to equality, diversity and anti-discrimination and people’s individual, cultural and religious needs will always be fully respected.
We expect our staff to work to the same professional standards with all the people receiving our services and to treat everyone with the same levels of respect, dignity and recognition of their needs for privacy and independence. We also expect staff to make sure people receiving care are adequately safeguarded and to report any concerns about possible abuse irrespective of how services are being funded.
Contracts with Self-funders and People with Direct Payments
The service has a written contract produced in line with fair terms principles with all individuals who use it. This contract includes the agreed arrangements for:
- carrying out quality checks on the services to be provided
- reviews of the service plan
- the respective responsibilities of people receiving care and agency for the staff being employed, including their general management, supervision and training
- any complaints or grievance procedures that might need to be followed
- methods of payment and financial administration.
It is expected that each contract will be unique to each individual and their requirements. It will include the respective obligations and responsibilities of the person receiving care in relation to personal conduct towards staff, who also should be treated with courtesy and respect and not subject to any abuse.
Personal Budget Holders’ Contracts (Where Applicable)
The service understands that personal budget holders will be to a large extent assessing their own needs and arranging their own services but might also be expected to have a personal plan in line with local authority policies.
The service agency understands that the plan will identify all the support needs and arrangements in a person’s life, but not all of them will need to be met by the support service.
The service, therefore, expects that a person’s plan to detail those parts of the support that it is expected to carry out and be responsible for. It will then build these into the written contract with the individual. The contract will include all aspects of the support to be carried out including any moving and transferring tasks and help with medication.
The written contract will also include detailed information on the charges made for its services and how the self-funder/personal budget holder will pay for the agency’s services.
The support service will then follow the agreed plan in respect of reviewing the services provided and any revisions deemed necessary because of changing needs and circumstances.
The service will continue to value the feedback provided by the person receiving care and their representatives and will make regular checks that the service continues to be satisfactory.
Training
All staff receive training to help them understand the implications of working with people who are funding their own care through private means or some form of direct payments.
Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
Copyright ©2024 {{org_field_name}}. All rights reserved