Personalisation & person centred services

Health and social care services have been criticised in the past for being designed for the convenience of the service providers themselves, rather than for the people who need to use those services

The traditional service led approach has often meant that people have not received the right support for their circumstances or been able to shape the kind of help they need. Efforts have therefore been made in all UK countries to address these concerns but the strategies used are different. For example, in England and Scotland, the personalisation agenda has gained prominence. In Wales, there is an emphasis on ensuring equitable access to person centred services for all citizens. When evaluating services, it is always difficult to resolve the conflicting goals of addressing individual needs, equity and targeting scarce resources.  The balance between these goals is slightly different for different UK countries.

The broad principle behind personalisation is that ‘all  citizens should be able to access universal services such as transport, leisure and education facilities, housing, health services and opportunities for meaningful occupation’ (Carr 2008) 

This means that providers should design their services so that they meet the needs of individuals, rather than vice versa.  It means starting with the person’s strengths, preferences and aspirations plus their circle of family, friends and other support mechanisms around them.  It introduces the requirement for greater personal responsibility and for individuals to draw on their own resources as well as those available through statutory and other services, to meet their needs in the best possible way.
 
The individual is at the centre of the process; identifying their needs and making choices regarding their support and care. In this way services are tailored and developed around the requirements of the individual instead of the individual having to fit in with the requirements of the service. Choice and control run through all aspects of personalisation.  Personalisation is expected to transform the social care system by focusing on enabling people to achieve the outcomes they want.  Although its origins are in social care, the principles are spreading to the NHS also.
Carr (2008) Personalisation: A Rough Guide. SCIE publications.