Personalisation has been a buzzword for a while now, but does the term indicate a genuine shift in thinking that can be demonstrated through everyday action and a definite change in the relationship between people who give and receive care?
Putting control over their care back into people’s hands is not a new concept.
Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) partnership director Dr Sam Bennett points out that there have been a range of mechanisms introduced to work towards this goal over some time, including the independent living movement, the introduction of direct payments legislation in the mid-1990s, and subsequent government policies in response to calls from disabled and older people and their families for more choice and control over their support.
