In Control challenges ‘time and task’

A new approach to domiciliary care that moves away from the traditional time and task’ model has been mooted by charity In Control. In a report, published in conjunction with Helen Sanderson Associates, it recommends that Individual Service Funds (ISF) should be a real option for people using homecare services. An ISF is where the service user chooses to have their personal budget held by a provider of their choice. The provider is committed to spending the individual’s budget on outcomes agreed in their support plan, with an agreed amount of the money being spent on management and support. A service user can choose to spend some of their budget with other providers even though their budget is managed on their behalf by a main provider. The report, which is supported by Mears Care Limited, the UK Homecare Association (UKHCA), Wirral borough council and Lancashire county council, also suggests that local councils should develop a framework for this with providers and local people and operators should offer the ISF option, including a description of their offer and retail price.