Changes to SDS Direct Payments in Scotland Report Published
Self Directed Support Scotland has now published its “Changes to Self-directed Support Direct Payments in Scotland” report.
Donald Macleod (Chief Executive, SDSS), on the report’s publication, said:
“Thank you to all those who contributed their expertise to this important piece of work. As a Disabled People’s Organisation and a membership organisation representing Independent Support Organisations nationally, it is important we understand and recognise changes to Direct Payments, so we can effectively influence improve implementation of SDS. We will collaborate with all our stakeholders across the sector to explore the recommendations of this report.”
The report and its recommendations will be set out for discussion at an upcoming launch event, on Wednesday 24 June, 10-11am. Sign up to attend the FREE report launch event via Eventbrite.
The most commonly reported changes to Direct Payments were reductions following reviews or reassessments (74%) and restrictions on how funds can be used (66%).
Participants described:
- A shift towards higher eligibility thresholds, reduced access to preventative support, and increasing focus on crisis intervention.
- Support was increasingly focused on essential care tasks, risk management, and personal care, with less emphasis on participation, independence, community involvement and wider quality-of-life outcomes.
- Assessments and reviews as difficult to navigate, slow to respond to changing circumstances, and increasingly associated with anxiety, uncertainty and the possibility of support reductions.
- Concerns regarding transparency, consistency, and accountability in decision-making, including significant variation between local authority areas.
- Increasing restrictions on how DPs could be used and reduced flexibility in achieving agreed outcomes.
- Challenges in the recruitment and retention of PAs, with some participants reporting situations where approved support could not be fully used because suitable staff could not be recruited.
- Disabled people, unpaid carers and ISOs described taking on increasing responsibility for navigating systems, maintaining support arrangements and responding to gaps elsewhere in the system.
The recommendations made in the report includes:
- Strengthen flexible, informed and outcome-focused Direct Payment practice
- Improve the quality, consistency, and transparency of policies and procedures
- Strengthen availability and access to independent support, advocacy and brokerage
- Improve evidence, monitoring and shared learning on Direct Payment implementation
The report is relevant to a wide range of stakeholders, including:
- Disabled people
- Unpaid carers
- Health and Social Care Partnerships
- Independent Support Organisations
- Third sector organisations
- Support Providers
- Policy representatives
You can read the report in full here.
