This document discusses Self-Directed Support (SDS) for people with mental health problems. It summarizes evidence that SDS works by allowing over 70% of people to live independently and get the support they want with dignity and respect, and less than 10% report negative impacts. The document also discusses how SDS can be made to work through adequate funding, promotion, clear referral processes, and understanding that personalization affects staff and services as well as those receiving support.

1. people lives communitiespeople lives communities
How SDS has worked in other places
Supporting people with mental health problems
to live the lives they want
Paisley, 1 April 2014

2. people lives communities
What are things like now for people with mental
health problems?
Self-Directed Support works: evidence
What works to make it happen: practice
Overview

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Choice and control in Scotland
People using Direct Payments as a proxy for this
37% people with physical/sensory impairments
24% people with learning disabilities
19% frail older people
5% people with mental health conditions
What are things like now? (1)

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What are things like now? (2)
2.3m people with a mental health condition are
on benefits or out of work
Non-disabled people is approx. 79%
Disabled people is approx. 48%
Depression is approx. 26%
Other forms of mental health conditions (e.g. phobias)
was 13%
Only 8% of adults with serious mental health
problems in employment
This proportion is actually decreasing
(UK figures)

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NHS Care Plan (in England):
54% „definitely‟ had views taken into account
42% said plan „definitely‟ set out their goals
Of these, 44% said NHS MH services „definitely‟ helped
them start achieving these goals
What are things like now? (3)

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Put it another way…

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Evidence SDS works

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Evidence SDS works

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70%+ of people with mental health problems:
Being as independent as they want
Getting the support they want
Being supported with dignity and respect
60%+ of people with mental health problems:
Physical health
Mental wellbeing
Control over important things
Control over support
Less than 10% reported a negative impact on
any area of their life
Evidence SDS works

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West Sussex:
DPs process that supported discharges from
residential care
Encouraging evidence that residential care
admissions reduced
Florida:
People spent significantly less time in psychiatric
inpatient and criminal justice settings
People spent significantly higher number of days in
the community (compared to inpatient or forensic
settings) than in the year before
Similar findings in other places
Evidence SDS works

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Personal Assistants? Well, a little bit
What people spend their money on

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Leisure activities / socialising / holidays / breaks
Assistance with everyday tasks
Gym memberships / exercise-related
Computing / IT
Therapeutic services
Travel
Education / skills
Volunteering
“Pooling” arrangements
What people spend their money on

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Being creative…

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Information
Promoting eligibility
Range of support services
Paperwork
Positive staff roles
Self-Directed Support, not process-led support
or service-led support
Making SDS work

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SDS works especially well for fluctuating
conditions
Flexibility
Tailoring support
Advance Directives
Understand the reality of risk, not the perception
Making SDS work

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Good evidence they enable better outcomes
They need:
Adequate funding
Clear referral mechanisms
Promotion – internal and external
Promotion of credibility
Making SDS work – ULOs

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Personalisation means change for everyone
For people who use services and their families
For people who work in services
For people who provide services
For people who commission services
And for you!
Often missed
Personalisation affects everyone

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Personalisation isn‟t a zero-sum power game
It‟s a win-win
It empowers users
It empowers staff
Workforce – key point

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Self-Directed Support for people with
mental health problems works
It‟s better than what most people
currently get
People have made it work
Many of the issues and problems are
considerably reduced in practice
Work in partnership, together
Summary

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Contact
Rich Watts, MH Programme Lead
T: 01225 789135
E: rich.watts@ndti.org.uk
Twitter: @rich_w