Self-directed support: A factsheet for finance professionals
What’s in this factsheet?
- Introduction
- What is SDS?
- CIPFA guidance for SDS professionals
- Finance professionals and the SDS strategy
- Preparing for PA employment
- Reading between the numbers
- Openness and transparency
- Helpful resources
Self-directed support (SDS) was introduced by the Social Care (Self-directed support)(Scotland) Act 2013. Inthe Act, there are various duties and obligations placed on health and social care bodies, including the right of the supported person to choose how they receive and commission support to live independently in their community.
This factsheethighlights the role of finance professionals working in the public sector in delivering SDSand their duties and obligations.Option 1 of the Act allows individuals to receivecash payment from the local authority to employ their own staff to meet their support needs.This factsheet looks specifically at the important role finance professionals play in the administration and monitoring of these payments.
What is SDS?
The main ethos of self-directed support (SDS) is to allow individuals with assessed health and social care support outcomes to haveflexibility,choice and control in how those needs are met.
The act offers individuals with assessed needs the choice of four options. This guide looks specifically at option 1, defined in the Act as follows:
The making of a direct payment by the local authority to the supported person for the provision of support
Finance professionals and the SDS strategy
Finance professionals have an important role in the successof the SDS strategy.As well as enablinga supported person’s choice and control over how their assessed needs are met, there are a number of key legislative factors that finance practitioners and local authoritiesshould consider.
•The SDS Act requires transparency in the decisions and considerations around the allocation of resources (including financial resources).
•Knowing the amount of resource available to an individual is key to allowing the supported person to consider the options available to them.
•The amount of money available under each of the four options should be made clear to the supported person as per Section 5(4) (a) of the Act.
•The amount made available should also be adequate to meet the individual’s assessed needs.
You can find out more in the SDS Practitioner’s Guide on Self-Directed Support( Scottish Government website.
Preparing for PA employment
The direct payment should be in place before the supported person starts the recruitment process. The supported person takes on the responsibility of an employer and finance needs to be in place to allow them to fulfill this role.
Having the direct payment in place also gives the supported person the freedom to start recruiting their PA and meeting their assessed needs as quickly as possible. Delays in processing a direct payment could lead to wages not being paid on time and this could be costly for the supported person.
Reading between the numbers
Financial monitoring can play an important part in identifying risk and abuse in social care.It is vital that finance managers and their teams not only consider what money is being spent on, they should also look at any allocated moneythat isn’t being used or any significant variations between expenditure and the care plan.
If you are in any doubt, you should consult the care manager so they can follow up any concerns as quickly as possible.
CIPFA guidance for SDS professionals
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), alongside the Scottish Government and a range of stakeholders, has updated its guidance on direct payments. You can view the updated CIPFA guidance here.
Helpful resources
Self Directed Support
Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
Self-Directed Support Scotland (SDSS)
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