Personalisation: Councils get £30m to boost IT and user advice

Councils are being give £30m to fund IT improvements and improved information services to help transform adult care in line with personalisation in 2010-11.

The money was allocated to the Department of Health in 2007 “to help councils meet part of the capital requirements” to bring about personalisation, but in guidance today the DH spelt out how the funding, which is not ring fenced, could be used.

This includes improving IT systems to help councils account for personal budgets, and enhancing the provision of information and advice to service users.

Today’s guidance includes the funding allocations for the final tranche of the three-year social care reform grant, the ring fenced funding stream designed to help councils implement personalisation that is worth £237m in 2010-11.

It also included a previously announced £20,000 for each council with adult social services responsibilities to develop innovative strategies and approaches to extra care housing.

Last September, the Department of Health, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Local Government Association produced a number of “milestones” for authorities to chart their progress on implementing personalisation. This includes a target of having 30% of users and carers on personal budgets by April 2011.

The national director for social care transformation, Jeff Jerome, has previously said a “handful of authorities” were creating cause for concern in terms of meeting this target and would need to “move very quickly” to achieve it.

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