Further lessons from the continuing failure of the national strategy to deliver personal budgets and personalisation

The Government continues to act on the basis that t he model of 'self-directed support' as devised by In Control is working and should be the basis of current and future social care and health strategy. They are sustained in this belief by national surveys of 'personal budget' holders which claim that personal budgets are improving outcomes for people. However, examination of the survey results shows this to be a potentially misleading assertion. It actually suggests that the opposite is more likely to be the case. Whilst political and sector leaders continue to declare their commitment to the model, the legislation has not actually supported it given the way the Care Act has been formulated. This offers the possibility of an alternative future for social work and social care services. However, it will require a refreshed understanding of the widely acknowledged shortcomings of the system that the In Control model had itself been created t o overcome, but which has failed to do.